A Poem for Poems, a Song for Songs
Were there no poems and were there no songs, Our sorrows would be bitter for lack of expression; Our joys would be dimmer for lack of fulfillment; Our hearts would be harder for lack of caresses.
Were there no sunlight and were there no rains, the flowers of our being would never grow in stature; The gardens of our righteousness would choke on weeds of avarice, And we would be unmade.
But were there no parents, no True Parents for us children, we'd have no voice for poems, nor any ear for songs, we never could be joyful, we'd have no need of sunlight, nor could we taste the rain.
Yet ... See now that the Great Poet, the Master of The Music, the Giver of Our Joyfulness, the Father of the Sunlight, who cries with Gentle Rain, has heard our silent weeping, and given up His Heart, to give us our True Parents that we might learn to live and love and give as much as He.
- Calvin Johnson FEBRUARY 1983
Volume 4 Number 2
Standing in the Presence of God 2 Rev. Sun Myung Moon
MyPledge 9 Rev. Sun Myung Moon
Mother's First Seven-Year Course 16 Compiled from various testimonies and speeches
New Impetus to the Providence in America 23 Notes from recent leaders' conferences
God: The Contemporary Discussion U 26 Jack Kiburz, Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak
Let's Embody God's Words 29 Mrs. Haruko Kanari 32 Preliminary Report on the International Higbtt·ay
Unification Church Bookstore in New York 35 Jonathan Gullery 36 New Books and Videotapes
Credits: Subscription Information:
Publisher/ Advisor Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak U.S. $32.00 per year Editor Joy Pople Air mail to Europe $57.00 per year Assistant Jonatha A. Johnson (2 or more to the same address, $50.00 each) Designer Janice Johnson Surface mail to any country: $42.00 per year Make check payable to: Photo Credits: HSA-UWC, World Mission Department Front cover and True Parents: New Future Photos. Historical photos: Send payment to Today's World Magazine, HSA-UWC, Korea. God Conference: Dagfin Asli Today's World 1s a publication of the World Mission Department of the Holy Spirit As~ociation for the Unification of World Christianity. It 1s written for the members of the Unification Church around the world. The Rev. Sun Myung Moon is its founder. The purpose of tins JOUmal is to be a source of information and mspirauon for its readers, a forum for their exchange of news and testimonies, and 1 sharing of heart among the brothers and sisters of the Unification Church's world-wide movement. Tuday's World is a publication of HSA-UWC. You take good care of yourselves, but do you take as good care of God? STANDING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD REV. SUN MYUNG MOON BELVEDERE SELECTIONS FROM NOVEMBER 7, 1982 SPEECH How have you been? Have you been well? It has been 39 Will people living happily with God in the spirit world ever days since I went away. It seemed like an eternity, didn't it? think about getting old? Spirit world has nothing but good When you are living together, time passes quickly, but when ness: good beginnings, good days, ending of good days, you are waiting, it goes very slowly. For two people who love beginning of more good days- an endless continuation of each other, time passes like a fraction of a second. The more good days. Everyone will be joyful and happy- no waiting, intense the Jove, the more quickly time passes. But waiting no anxiety. Hope is fulfilled, so we will continue living for such a loving person, time passes slowly. happy days. Heaven is full of love, nothing but love and Imagine the spirit world, living day in and day out, within loving life. Can you imagine that? Of course, we are not the love of God. How quickly ten thousand years will pass! there yet. We have to prepare. 2 TELL GOD, 'I REALLY LIKE YOU' country and all its citizens, but the citizens didn't want to be Let me ask you a question. Have you loved God? Do you like offered. Could God be happy if He were loved with those God? How much do you like God? When you stand in the proceeds? He is not a greedy God, demanding that you offer presence of God, tell Him, "God, I really like You, I love something or somebody who doesn't want to be offered. You; I want to live together with You and never be separated." Suppose you own a company that is doing very well, You say that to God, and He will respond to you . God is the turning a profit. Would you sell that for the love of God'? most important element in our religious life. You don't think Some of the employees might say, "Yes, please sell us and of God as a concept- just as you don't think of your spouse love God," but others might object, "No, I don't want to be as a concept. He is a fact, a reality. \\e have to feel that, just sold." Even on a company level, you would find such like breathing in and out. Those who have only concepts of responses. Then do you think God would say, ''Go ahead and God's existence are unstable. We can intensely imagine Him sell the company. even though they don't want to be sold"? right with us, and pretend we are living together. No, He wouldn't. I can say that I like God. Do you feel a realistic love On a still smaller scale, in your own home, you can do towards God? Can you feel that God is like Jeung Jin Nim? anything you want. Perhaps you want to sell your posses Sometimes the saliva comes out of her mouth, her nose runs, sions, including your house, and love God with them. But she wets her diapers-whatever she does, it doesn't make any suppose the house would say, "I don't want to be sold, difference-you cannot help feeling love towards her. especially not to a black man." Do you really like God? If you really like God a lot, are Back to the standard. When you say you love God, what you always pleading with Him to help you? Who is supposed do you mean? By what standard do you love God? to be the helping one-the one who likes you, or the one We want to do anything that we physically can do in order whom you like? Which is a more nonnal attitude to have: to Jove God. But we have to realize how difficult it is to carry "Since I like that person so much, I will help him," or "Since it out. Everything put together could not equal the \ alue of I like him so much, he should help me"? The first one, right? God. If not a single person loves God more than anything If you really like someone, you don't expect help from him, else, then God finds Himself reduced to the value of small but you want to help him. If you help the one you like with things. Even if He has a potential universal value, He cannot the hope of getting something in return, your liking has the claim it or feel it. In other words, God doesn't have that least value; you can hardly call it real liking. If you give value unless He has someone who loves Him that much. someone a hundred dollars and don't remember having given When we do many things in order to love God, maybe it, that liking is more valuable; your liking then is worth a later, when we are in a difficult position, we can ask Him to hundred dollars. do something for us. But if we have done nothing for God, it So far, we have talked only about liking. How about makes no sense to ask Him to do something for us. You think loving? If we really love God, how much have we done to you are willing to do absolutely anything for1he sake of the show that love? That is a really serious question to consider. love of God. But can you do that? And are you doing that? WHAT CAN YOU GIVE FOR HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LOVED GOD'S LOVE? GOD? Whom have you loved in the past, with a love comparable to When God calls out to me and asks me, "Do you really Jove your love for God? Do you love God like you love yourself? me?" I say, "Yes." And then God asks, "How much have you When you are cold, you put on a coat; when you are hungry, loved Me?'' God, of course, wants me to love Him with a you feed yourself; when you ant to look pretty, you put on huge Jove. While I am giving God huge love, what are you makeup. You take good care of yourselves, but do you take doing? Helping me give Jove, right? Or maybe you feel that as good care of God? Have you ever loved God as much as the process of giving love brings too much suffering, and you you love yourself? don't want to become involved. The question of how much we love God was already Suppose I want to offer you to God, but you don't want to raised in the Bible. Jesus said clearly, "He who loves father be offered. "What about my family?" you might protest; "I" or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who belong to my family as much as I belong to you, Father. I loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.'' have to ask my wife, I have to ask my children." As long as (Matt. 10:37) There is a certain standard we have to meet God does not have that offering, He can never say; "I have before we can say we have loved. Where are we in relation to been loved by even a small group of 200 to 300 people who that standard? When Jesus said we had to love him more than are willing to sacrifice themselves for Me. So rather than that anyone else, he meant more than anything that belongs to of the entire universe, My value is reduced to less than the us--0ur family, our environment, our society, even our love lives of 200 or 300 people." In other words, God has not itself. received a love which is worth of Him. Let's say you own a country, an immensely precious and If you want to go somewhere, your eyes, ears, hands, feet, valuable one. But if you love God, literally love God, should etc., must go with you. If they object to the direction you you forget that country in your Jove for God? If someone choose, you become tired very quickly. Don't you think God loves God that much and the citizens of that country hear must be very tired, because He knows the right way for all about it, they would say, "Oh, please Jove God at the mankind to go, and He wants you to go that way, but sacrifice of us and our country." Or suppose there was a sometimes you not willing? person who loved God so much he would be willing to sell a Recently 6,000 couples were married. But for whom did 3 Suppose God were to ask you to sell everything you own, for the love of God, and dedicate it for the sake of the broader world-say Africa. this event take place? If they got married for God, then they This was pretty much what happened to me in 1946. I was have to dedicate everything to God. You might say, "Oh, going out to get some food for Sung Jin Nim's mother, to Father, I will dedicate my wife (or husband), but after we live take care of my family. Without that food, starvation was together for a year or so.'' How many of those 6,000 couples imminent. But God said, "Go directly to North Korea." I are willing to say, •'Okay, Father, go ahead and dedicate me knew I would be arrested and treated badly there. But that to God"? Hem many do you imagine would? was where God told me to go. That was a time of crisis in Let's tum our focus to the spirit worid. Spirit world is my family. If I had ~a id, "Please wait; I must take care of this immense; large numbers of people live there. If God goes in one matter. In just a few minutes I will go," then today's one direction and someone turns his back on God, that Unification Church would not be as it is. I dropped every person will drift off in the opposite direction and perish. thing. When I responded to God without conditions, drop Before he can tum around and follow God's direction, he has ping everything, I won His recognition that I loved Him and to repent and cleanse his mind of his differing opinion. "Oh, the universe more than my own wife and my own son. After God, I was mistaken," he should think; "from this time on I that, God was free to give me the best wife, and best will forget about my own thinking." But in spirit world it is children. more difficult to turn around than in the physical world. The The same principle applies now. I am ready to dedicate spirit mind wants to tum around, but the feet don't budge. this hard-won, flesh-and-blood Unification Church for the Even though we shed our bodies, we cannot change our sake of God. If I do that, then it stands to reason that God minds so easily. may give me better than what I had. The church is just a Suppose God were to ask you to sell everything you own, handful of people, but you are people of all races. If I do for the love of God, and dedicate it for the sake of the that, imagine how much approval God would give me! In all broader world- say Africa. Then how would the Unification history, was there anyone who carried out such a thing? Church members respond? Would you say, "Oh, Father, let Billions of people have lived on earth, but not a single soul me think about it a bit more, before I decide," or "Okay, right has met God's expectation. This happens to be the first time away"? in history that we know how, literally, to love God. PREPARATION FOR THE REAL A NEW EXODUS HEAVEN The Israelites, during their Exodus from Egypt, headed As you are growing up, you go to a chain of schools straight in to the Red Sea. They felt that it was better to kindergarten, primary school, middle school, high school, drown in the Red Sea than not to obey God's command. So if college. You go to kindergarten to prepare yourself for the they were really willing to give their lives in trying, they next step, primary school. Why do you go to primary school? would make it to Canaan. The Rea Sea event was a testimony So it will be easier to go through middk school. Why do you to their decisiveness to carry out God's command. This was go to middle school? To make the foundation for high school to be a victorious ground, where a race responded to God's work. This holds true up through the doctoral level. Inevi command and loved God on a race level, such as not one tably, you must go to school in preparation for the real, previously had done. absolute heaven. How far will you get before you quit? The Un ification Church is making an exodus from the The Ph.D. standard of love is, "I love God above anybody satanic realm; obedient to the command of God, we are or anything else, more than anybody or anything." If you do heading for the world-level Canaan with all races include~. that, then you have true love. Your friends and relatives urged you not to join the Moonies, What level of school are you at now? When you go before but you paid no attention to them, resolved to go to God's the presence of God in the spirit world and He says, "Have side, no matter what. you loved me?" you can't just answer, "I wanted to love You, Why did God assemble all these people to go to Canaan? God, but my wife wasn't willing, my son wasn't willing, so I Why couldn't He leave them where they were and work couldn't love You." We have to be not only willing to do things out from there? God wanted to choose a people and something, but make sure that we are able to do it. have them come and form a country which God could call his One of Jesus' disciples came to him and said his father own. God's intention was very clear: to form a people, a died, and asked what he should do, whether he should go to country, which loved God more than anyone or anything else his father's funeral. Jesus said. "Leave the dead to bury their on earth. That was the reason for the Exodus and journey to own dead." (Matt. 8:22) Suppose someone was walking down Canaan. the aisle, getting married, and God called him at that Engrave this in your memory: God had a clear purpose in moment, saying, "You come to me now." He might reply, bringing then out of the satanic country and into Canaan: to "Yes, I will, but first let me finish this march and exchange form a country and people who love God more than anybody the rings." Would you respond like that, or would you drop else on earth. everything and go? God had been planning for such a long time, with high 4 While I was crossing the Pacific Ocean, I thought, 'It is going to be aifficult for Americans to go this way; nevertheless, this is the goal; they must go.' God desires. This is our whole purpose. This is why I came to America. God wanted me to come to America and do this in a worldwide setting. America is not welcoming our Exo dus and our wilderness period, but is trying to prevent it from being successful. The Israelites sprinkled the blood of a Iamb on their door posts as a sign. We need that offering today, too. That is home church. You are Americans, but you are treated as aliens when you go to home church. Still you are undaunted. That is exactly what the Israelites went through 2,000 years ago. When the Israelites made their Exodus, they brought everything with them-jewelry, gold, which they dedicated for this new cause. This is why when people join the Unification Church, they bring everything with them to help this new movement. expectations for His people. But what does history record? SOLDIERS OF HEAVEN They complained; they were wishy-washy; they faltered in the When we stand in the presence of God, would He want us to wilderness, became the prey of eagles and hawks . Why make a small dedication or a huge one? A little one, then a through the wilderness, you might ask? Why didn't God little larger, still larger, etc., until it reaches the level of the bring them directly into Canaan? It was their responsibility to universe. go through the wilderness, to establish the condition that they We are the soldiers of heaven. A good soldier doesn't could go through difficulties and win the victory by worry about his life, he has no fear of getting hurt. No good themselves. soldier worries about dying. He concentrates on the objec For 4,000 years, what has been the hope of the Israelites? tive. This is the way the Unification Church members around To meet the messiah. And then what, to Jive happily ever the world would have to be. after? No, their job was to unite with the messiah. and bring Actually, we don't have to go through each step. We can about the country unsurpassed in love for God. take off like a rocket and land right on the target. But people Moses was their leader. When he told them to go in a sometimes get cozy and no longer want to move ahead. They certain way, there should have been no complaint. At one have their family, a cozy apartment; they feel comfortable command of Moses, everybody should have moved, regard where they are, and when they are asked, they will say they less of the difficulty- and then they would have entered won't go. They then become the prey of the eagles in the Canaan. wilderness. If you are not confident enough to win over all Today is an exact replica. The 40 years in the wilderness is these temptations, authorize people to bind you and drag you now repeated; however, no longer is it on the national level, on to your goal. but on a transnational level. All nations and races are going We are doing this to fulfill God's desire that somebody throuvh the wilderness, in order to arrive at the world-level accomplish this on earth, that somebody dedicate his life to Canaan. Then where are we supposed to go? What is our the huge love of God, for the sake of the world. The only destination? Home church is not the universal church now. people God can pin His hopes on are the Unification Churcfi Where we are going is not a peaceful country. Why is God members. We have a reason to be thankful to God for giving making us do that? Because we have to go through our us this opportunity to fulfill His hope. This situation is the portion of responsibility, to set the record of accomplishing first such in human history. How proud we should be! our goal by going through opposition from all the world- by You have to be clear about this. When soldiers march, they our own valor, our own faith. Then God will credit us with don't march like stragglers, but in ranks, with their colors in having won our own victory. This is exactly like what the front. When there is a command all Unification Church Israelites did. members will be mobilized into this one final activity. How So the 40 years wilderness period of the worldwide Unifi proud God will be! ''My proud people; my victory on you," cation Church is to establish the record that we have loved He will say. He will give His blessing at that moment. God more than anybody else collectively on the face of the Don't think about these things only when you come to earth. Four thousand years ago, the Isrealites faced the Red hear my sermon. When you are kissing your bride or bride Sea. Our Red Sea today is a sea of ideology, communism. groom, when you are nursing your child, caring for your We must clearly realize that we have the historical task of babies, you have to think about this fundamental underlying going through 40 years in the the wilderness, under the purpose in our lives. That is exactly how I came to the point command of our leader, and then to establish the country where I now am, leading up to it all throughout my life. 5 When Americans oppose you it is not because they hate you, but because you are not yet worthy. Since I know that God wants so badly to set up the standard that we have loved Him more than anyone else in the history of the world, 1 am going through these steps. What if we don't make it? Even dying in jail, we should want to reach the goal, be proud of it and die. THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR AMERICANS While I was crossing the Pacific Ocean in the airplane, I thought, "It is going to be diffi · ~Ji t for Americans to go this way; nevertheless, this is the goal; they must go. Whether they are awake, asleep, eating, they should not forget this." In this prayerful mo--d I flew back to America. While you are fundraising, while you are witnessing, even though every thing is difficult, yet you have to go through that barrier. Even if you falter and collapse, it is better than forgetting about this goal. Even though your load is so heavy that you want to untie it and rest, we cannot. Once you lay it down , OPPOSITION FORCES YOU TO you cannot pick it up again. That is why, no matter how PREPARE YOURSELF hard, we must keep going. Opposition is not altogether bad. People oppose us because It is important that you don't go this way because I oblige we are not yet worthy. We have to be better. When Americans you to do so or because your leader stimulates you. Our only oppose you it is not because they hate you, but because you chance of success is if we ourselves want to go, regardless of are not yet worthy. When they kick you, realize that it means, whether there people are watching and advising us, or oppos "Please become one step better than you are now." Use ing us . No matter what, God is watching, and each of us opposition as a lesson. People kick you to make sure you should think, "I have to make it my philosophy to go." It is prepare for Moscow. You may object, saying "I am an up to you, and no one else-including me. If you want to do American. I will do only the American dispensation. I cannot it, you will do it. go to Moscow." If you say that, you are trying to rest along That attitude is so important. Look at examples from the way to the goal. America is no place to rest. We have to history. People who had different ideas from Moses, people reach the goal. Are you confident? Many of our members in who hesitated, didn't make it. the satellite countries are in prison; they have already spent Now we see the opposition all around. We have to go two, three, four years in jail. Some have died. That is the through this oppostion. After that, will we be peaceful? No . inevitable course. I went through this typical course; you Perhaps there will be another fight waiting, but we will should resolve that it will be your course as well. I reached worry about that at that time. Many people have com this point by risking my entire life. You have to protect me in plimented me on being a success in Korea and America. But your prayers too. we have to think that our victory as of today is still tentative. I have always taken risks. The higher the dispensation Formidable potential enemies remain in the place we must goes, the greater the risks that accompany it. You should • go. We can never be complacent. We can never have a realize what kind of level I have come to, so you can go with moment's rest today. Instead, time we could use as a moment the same rhythm. It is your responsibility to set up your of rest we should invest as preparation for a serious fight condition of faith, on your level, which will be in unison ahead. with my level. The story of David and Goliath is a supreme lesson for us . Do you really believe in me? [In English:] I don't believe No ordinary thought would have allowed David to overcome you! Goliath. He was not swayed by the presence of the giant. As I have many burdens on my back too. I have to do all the a soldier. he fought the inevitable fight. As soldiers, we must planning. Also, is much of the persecution I get because of determine, God willing, to win and not worry about anything me , or indirectly because of you? If a person gets drunk and else. Then our Goliath, which are the communist countries, walks down the street and somebody says, "That's a will look much smaller than they look now. Only that Moonie," people conclude, "All the Moonies are like that. determination can win. Rev. Moon teaches that kind of behavior.'' Then would America welcome us? After we win over How heavy is my burden? Greater than what I can carry Moscow and the whole world sees the victory, Americans on my shoulders. But when we go beyond the national will stand up and applaud, "Oh. Moonies, you did it!" Never boundary and reach the victory, then all the injustices of the expect America to help us in the meantime. We will do it. past have to be indemnified. 6 Always think about whether God would do a certain thing; if you think He would, then go ahead and do it. lesson, too, for the Moonies. You may have a husband or wife, obtained a position which you had wanted for a long time, and are just about to become successful in some project-but you may have to drop everything to fulfill what God has in store for you. PREPARE TO ADAPT TO SPIRIT WORLD Man has three desires: first, to own something; then, to love; and then to eat. How do we differ from other people? We differ because we can overcome these desires, if we want to. You have to be different from other people on that point. If you have two almost identical things, which would you give to God, the better or the less good? If you don't even see God, to whom would you give these things? God wants you to give what is better to others, in His place. But people usually keep the better things for themselves and give the Is God victorious today? Just spiritually, God can never be lesser ones to other people. The desire to own things and the victorious. Unless the victory is with the body, God has no desire for the opposite sex are very strong. victory. That is why He is not victorious now. We have to Keep a record, like a diary, about the daily fight against make Him a victorious God; I have to make him a victorious your weaknesses. Today I was victorious, write; today I was God. defeated, write on another day. At the end of the year, 365 You have to make every part of your body good-eyes, days, count up how many days were victorious and how e;1r<,, etc. Always think about whether Gud would do a many were days of defeat. I already told you that we go from certain thing; if you think He would, then go ahead and do it. nursery school through the doctoral level to prepare our So should we launch ourselves and land at the goal? Once selves. We challenge ourselves and put forth all our effort you get here, will you rest for eternity, or will you come back every day, in order to adapt to spirit world. and, if need be, do it all over again? This is why there is nothing I cannot do. There is no part of society where I cannot go. I can meet boat captains, I have no limit. So don't limit yourselves to a certain level of WOULD YOU GO BACK TO EGYPT? society. The Israelites stopped before fulfilling everything, so our I always choose the most difficult way, the way of revival. example ends at a certain point. But what would have hap We are reviving the foundation of Christianity. We are reviv pened if the Israelites had successfully entered Canaan? ing the moral foundations of society. The foundation is Would they have lived happily ever afterwards? The chances always the most difficult part to restore. What are the most are that God would have sent them back to Egypt, to save the difficult problems on earth? The situation of Christianity and whole of Egypt as well. the problem of immorality. I have chosen to solve these. Are The same applies to your own family. When you become you going to follow my way? It's the most difficult course, • victorious, God may send you back one day to your own but also the most valuable. relatives, no matter how fiercely they oppose you. God would Jesus was described as the lamb who bore all the sins of say, "Now go and love them." the world. Jesus himself was carrying all the sins of the We are determined to reach the goal; whether with eyes world, for all mankind. Can I be different? open or closed, whether asleep or awake, we must get there. In front of God we have no complaint, we make no Then once we arrive, will we return? If God tells us so, we excuses, we offer no disagreement. God certainly knows will. better than we do. When God does something, we have to I can feel free to leave this country any time. Our mem jLmp in without thinking twice. bers can remain in America, but I probably wouldn't. It Suppose in one army the soldiers are looking at the depends on where God's will is. Where God's will is, that is general to see what he commands, and if he doesn't sa.y where I will be. What about you? Where will you be? anything, they do n..~hing. In another army, some soldiers When Lot was told to flee Sodom and Gomorrah, he already know what the general would do in a given situation; obeyed God. But what about Lot's wife? She had accu sometimes platoon leaders and squad leaders are almost as mulated such wealth, she didn't want to give up everything good as the general-perhaps even better in minor areas. overnight and go, even though it was God's command. What Which of these two armies would be the strongest? happened to her? [She turned into a pillar of salt.] This is a So If I am away, can you resolve to follow me even better? 7 Then we will be a stronger army, won't we? Would a general out our mission, even when Father is not watching over us. reprimand a soldier because he listened well to his platoon Oh, Father, Jet me decide myself that I want to follow Your leader? He would commend him. A general feels proud and way of life, not just because Father tells us to. When Father can rest a bit better at night, when he know that the soldiers tells us, it makes it relatively easy, but eventually, Heavenly are following their platoon leader. Father, I have to do it on my own. I want you to be worthy people blessed by God. Would We regret deeply that we have been so unworthy in the you resolve to do that? God bless you. past. Heavenly Father, again we deeply repent because we thought we loved You, but we did not really Jove You. Oh, Col. Han, the translator, prays: Heavenly Father, all the words You spoke this morning, and Oh Heavenly Father, we welcome our victorious Father every other morning, are literally our life. Without adhering and Mother back from around the world. They face such to that word, without carrying out that word in the flesh, all deep antagonism in America; still they bravely went to Korea of our actions have no meaning. and won such an exciting victory. We are thankful for what Heavenly Father. You are pragmatic, and we are good at they have done for us, for mankind and for You. that, too. Thank You from the bottom of our heart, and we Father, we have paid such unserious attention to Your love You, too. We may die for You, we love You that much. words, and we repent to You for that. We repent that we have Also, Heavenly Father, protect our Parents in America and never understood our True Parents, we have never understood wherever they are in the world. Protect them at the price of enough about You. But Father showed us clearly the pattern our lives. Sacrifice our families and preserve Father's fam of our life. ilies, and all the other families of the world. We thank You very much from the bottom of our heart. Of We pray these things. unworthy things, but we will do course, we cannot just say it with words, but we must carry everything for You. 8 We are positioned between good and evil, between God and Satan, between heaven and earth. MY PLEDGE REV. SUN MYUNG MOON BELVEDERE SELECTIONS FROM NOVEMBER 21, 1982 SPEECH The topic this morning is "Our Pledge." T~ literal mean years? God is a sad God, a suffering God. When we look at ing of the title in Korean is to promise a certain kind of thing our world, we can see how much God has been suffering. before God, or to make a promise in front of an altar. It can In the morning when you set out to do your tasks, you also mean a promise of future things. have to really pray, in order to prepare yourselves to go out, As you know, we say a Pledge on Sunday mornings at do your mission, and return safely at night. When you come 5:00. The fifth paragraph is the conclusion of the entire back home, look in the mirror; study your face, nose, mouth, Pledge; in it we project what we are going to create-one eyes, ears, hands. Those are your most susceptible elements, sovereignty, one nation, one people, one language and cul the ones most ready to commit sin . Ask each of those ture centered upon God, etc. features what they did during the day, whether they were From this standpoint, we must look at ourselves and ask righteous or not. The environment is always wooing you, where we are now. We are positioned between good and evil, always trying to divert your mind from the central righteou~ between God and Satan, between heaven and earth. Heaven position. You should guide and discipline circumstances, is above, earth is below. Satan has dominion over earth, and instead of becoming a victim of them. God is the central figure in heaven. God created the good Righteous religions always prosper during times of per world and heaven. Satan created the evil world of earthly secution. Persecution gives people protection and spurs them hell. So heaven includes all the good spirits, and hell to greater discipline and greater devotion to their mission. To includes all the evil spirits. the degree that you are persecuted, God will support you. As Heaven is organized with God at the center, with the persecution intensifies, God's support also intensifies. When super-good spirits immediately surrounding Him, and all the persecution becomes greater and greater, reaching the point other good spirits around them. Satan has organized his of life and death, God can distinguish the true believers, realm in a similar way: surrounding him are the worst evil those who are truly faithful. spirits, and further away the lesser evil spirits. Between these two worlds are distinct boundaries, something like the line between heaven and earth. This is a reality. Each of us PLEDGE TO DO WHAT SATAN belongs somewhere; we are positioned in one of these two HATES MOST areas. So, shall we avoid the way of persecution, or shall we There are approximately four billion people on the face of confront it? Shall we look for the easiest way, or shall we the earth. What percentage of these people could be clas choose the toughest possible way? For this reason, the most sified as genuinely good? Would you estimate one percent? timeless teaching of the Bible has been that of sacrifice and One percent of four billion is 40 million. Do you think there service, willingness to die for the sake of others. We forgive, are that many good people out there? those who oppose us, we embrace the enemy. In the time of Ab i.ham, God pronounced judgment on the Now God and Satan are engaged in battle. We must cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. When Abraham pleaded with understand that Satan abhors most of all those who can love God not to destroy those cities, God finally promised to spare their enemy. He cannot deal with that kind of situation and them if Abraham could find five righteous inhabitants. How becomes helpless in face of it. Satan is always trying to wage ever, Abraham could not come up with five, and the cities war, but God is always trying to break up wars. were destroyed. Is New York City today any better than Suppose we draw a line. Everything above that line is Sodom and Gomorrah? heavenly, and everything below satanic. When you draw the You Moonies are in a honeymoon mood. You are thinking line through your life, do you think more of your time and about setting up a sweet home now. Suppose all of a sudden activities are above the line, or below it? If you live below God orders you, "Get out. Leave your ife behind; leave the line more of the time, do you think you deserve heaven? your husband behind." Would you protest? You don't like hell, so why do you permit yourself to exist In the perspective of history, now is an emergency time for below the line? To stay above the line requires constant effort; God. Just look at the world, how vicious and evil people are! you cannot relax up there. It requires great concentration of Looking down on this world, God sees the condition of His all your faculties to stay above the line. children. What has Christianity been doing for two thousand What kind of person would you like to follow: an easy 9 We must have pride as the unique, historical independence army, fighting for the independence of the kingdom of heaven. God and an easy Rev. Moon, or a suffering God and fighting Rev. Moon? It is easy to answer yes, but difficult to fulfill it. I have endured incredible suffering throughout my entire life; I have not had even one good day. Every day brings suffering, battle, persecution. Under those situations, I am persevering every minute of the day. Compared to what I am going through, the martyrdom of the early Christians was much easier. The first-century martyrs died hoping to get to heaven that way. But I am different. I am not doing this for myself. I am working to bring the world back to God. to bring salvation to the world. I want you to understand that what Satan hates most is love. Our detennination this morning should be to pledge to God to do the things in which God will take the utmost delight and the things which Satan will hate most. Remem ber, though, if you promise to God what Satan most hates, then wherever you go. Satan will kick you and persecute you. The Korean nation where I came from initially opposed When Christian denominations fight among themselves, is me the most. They called me traitor, betrayer, and all kinds this God at work? of shameful, ugly names. Now what do they call me? Rev. Satan uses the motivation of self-indulgence; as a result of Moon: the beacon of hope for Korea; Rev. Moon: the only his effort, people drink, smoke, etc., for their own glory, patriot since our founding father Tangun, five thousand years honor and achievement. Knowing that, we take the opposite ago. As Koreans, they feel proud to present Rev. Moon to the course, denying the individual. I make myself a nobody and world. dedicate myself for my family; the family dedicates itself for I want you to be aware of what is happening in the Orient. the nation; the nation for the world. Deny yourself and go up By that, you can measure what will happen in America. I step by step, to the family, society, nation, world and cos began at the worst possible level and have risen to the highest mos. Then when you reach the center, the individual is no possible fame, goodness and favor. That is the measure of the longer just yourself, but the universe. And the universe is the success of our movement. In New York, people know about individual. You become directly connected to the universe, me. Who are Rev. Moon's friends? Jesus, Moses, Buddha. I you are a public man. am known to keep good company! Satan started out in the center and fell down and down, to The dispensation of God is moving up to a pinnacle, or the dungeons of hell. When you live on an individualistic, treetop, and I have reached the highest point. The world is selfish plane, you are in hell; the size of your hell is trying hard to shake me off. The wind is blowing strong from detennined by the size of your selfishness. The person who all directions, trying to dislodge me. But I am holding on sacrifices the whole world for his own sake goes to the worst tight. As soon as they admit they cannot shake me off, the hell. Still, even such a person can bring himself up, if he whole tree w!ll be conquered. You are clinging to my bit1.k, begins denying himself for the sake of his family, for the sake aren't you? There are people close to me, but the line doesn't of his society, for the sake of his nation, for the sake of !he yet extend down very far. When it touches the ground, the world. Unselfish, public acts elevate people. line will become an anchor, and no matter how hard the wind The twentieth-century way of life is characterized by blows, nothing will be able to shake me loose. Also, if there selfishness. Do young people on the streets care about the are several lines holding tight to me, reaching down in all world? Are they patriotic? Do they care for their fellowman'? directions, I will be secured. Such lines can serve as a ladder. Do they care for society? No, they just think about fun. You and people can climb them up to me. So if someone is trying can understand what level they are on. When people reach a to walk up your back to reach me, you will welcome them certain level, they become a Moonie. Still, as Moonies we and urge them on up, won't you? falter, we go up and down, up and down. Some Moonies may What Satan hates most is one sovereignty. He is allergic to never make it to the highest level. It is natural for life to go that word when it is used centering on God. Satan's tactic is through cycles of ups and downs, and if the peaks and to divide and conquer, to incite people to oppose each other troughs are not too extreme, it's okay. But even as Moonies, and fight among themselves. But God's message is to bring if you step below a certain line, you re-enter hell. everyone in, unite them and let them become one. Therefore, If you go to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, or South my emphasis is on uniting, bringing all denominations and America and serve for the sake of the world, you transcend all religions together, bringing all races together. Satan wants the stage of ups and downs; you jump right to the center! to incite racial war, and I am working for racial hannony. Although you may not like it, you will then have to be a 10 You are not y_et registered as citizens of the kingaom OJ heaven; you are candidates, q reservation is being held zn your name. central figure, because you are with God. God is the central American Moonies have the greatest commission, to redirect figure. If Satan steps in and tries to claim you because of a this nation from its atheistic concept to a God-accepting selfish attitude, God will intervene and protest, "This is My concept, from a nationalistic perspective to a universal child; I am with him.'' God may, however, allow Satan to test perspective. you to see whether you are truly with Him. But regardless of Until this point in history, independence armies have the tests which Satan can invent, the truly unselfish man or worked for the independence of only a nation. However, this woman will never be shaken. independence army is working for no one nation, but for The time has come for us to cross the hill, cross the God. Therefore, we are assembling all five races, as one boundary. However, you may discover that you have a clumsy family of man. Yellow, white.and black-the three major "tail" of selfishness and fallen nature which holds you back. races of the world-are marching forward . When the Ameri You will not be able to go over the boundary if you try to can people truly awaken to my ideology, they will be the first preserve your fallen nature. If your tail gets stuck in the to be truly appreciative. They will bow their heads in apol crossing, can you cut it off? If you resolve to avoid anything ogy. They will try to compensate for past evils by serving which Satan likes, decision-making becomes simpler. others. "Father, let us go out to the world; let us do more," they will plead. American people will not be saved by arrogance, but by humility, through service. PROUD OF THE ONE · Look at your bodr, look at your hands. Remind them that SOVEREIGNTY they were born to participate'in the volunteer army fighting We live for the sake of one sovereignty, one kingdom, one for the kingdom of heaven; they are warriors of the indepen heavenly citizenship. God has been longing for this from the dence. "The time has come now; we have to fight this battle,' ' day of creation. You pledged this morning, "l am proud of tell your body. "Be strong, you arms and legs; work together. the one sovereignty.' ' I am not talking about this as an empty Everything must click this time." You have to activate all your dream, but as a reality. If it doesn't happen, l will make it cells for one purpose. All your five senses must help presen e happen with my own hands. The time has come. you from satanic influence. Even though you may have no We must have pride and authority as the unique, historical children yet, you have to work to create the kingdom of independence anny, fighting for the independence of the heaven first, so they can be registered as citizens of that kingdom of heaven. We have been chosen for that role. kingdom. · Historically, the American independence movement was You yourselves are not yet registered as citizens of the similar to our mission today, but on a different level. People kingdom of heaven; you are candidates, a reservation is being assembled in George Washington's army, believing in the held in your name. The spirit world is waiting for the cause and entrusting their lives to him. Today in America, opening of the kingdom of heaven there. By the same token, two hundred years after that independence, God is assem we have not yet reached the goal of the kingdom of heaven bling another army for the independence of the kingdom of here on earth. However, we are moving to that threshold now. heaven. I am like another George Washington, asking people We are commissioned to serve in this one last battle. to come and join me, to restore a nation under God. When I still have another level of court battle to fight, but I will we move forward, Satan accuses us of being traitors. But never lose the dignity of heaven. The desire of God, of all from the heavenly point of view, this is the most sacred war mankind, of all spirit world is focused on this time. We which God has ever waged. Rather than rifles and swords, should feel privileged to participate in this most glorious your weapons are truth and love- weapons given to you by adventure, this glorious battle, this glorious crusade. God so you can save the people of the world. Truth is like the It makes no difference what specific activities you are sword, and love is like the atom bomb, creating chain doing- selling flowers, fundraising, sweeping floors in home reactions, expanding and multiplying. church. Remember that you are there to bring the indepen I settled in the worst possible place in America: New dence of the heavenly kingdom on earth. "I am a volunteer York. I established my headquarters here and launched the soldier," you can think: "I am selling flowers to support the home church crusade. This tactic is like an Inchon landing, independence army." You have no need to be ashamed. If you attacking the middle of an enemy camp. So do you want to feel ashamed to sell flowers for the sake of the independence fight an intense battle, or a mediocre battle? As the com army of heaven, then what is dignity? You are doing a most manding general of home church, I have to be the most sacred duty, fulfilling a most holy purpose-supporting the tireless and courageous soldier, pushing everybody forward. independence army. The Unification Church is truly a magnificent movement; In our army there is no rank. We each have one sole it is unique in the sight of God. It is a beacon of hope for purpose to achieve: God's independence. It doesn't matter God. whether your husband has a degree or not; wives must not Having been the first nation to aspire to "one nation under worry about that. You wives, worry about whether your God," America was to spearhead one world under God. husband is truly an independence soldier. I 1 As a national citizen alone, you can never enter the kingdom of heaven. You must be a world citizen. God has declared an emergency. I want you to understand allowing any Moonie to freely enter the United States! that. Have you seen the movie, ''The Guns of Navaronne"? "Proud of the one land." I long for that one land. I will Remember how determined the task force was to achieve its invest myself for the sake of the world, wherever the people one goal? We should be more disciplined than the characters will come to God first. I am taking the shortest route, in that movie. choosing whatever will bring the world back to God most If you fail this mission here on earth, when you are taken quickly. upstairs, to the second floor (spirit world), you will have Wherever I am, I feel at home. What about you? If I go to nothing to say, nothing to report; you will be unable to lift up South America, where would you go? A clever person would your faces. For that reason, I am so serious, every moment of reason this way, "Well, Father went to South America, so I the day. Be bold and strong. will go to Africa, because he will eventually have to go there as well. There I will wait for him." Suppose I announce that I am leaving for Africa and that tomorrow everybody else PROUD OF THE ONE PEOPLE should set out for Africa as well. Would you say, "Yes, We have to help the poor people, the suffering people. The Father"? Which restoration would be easier: to restore Amer United States has to help the whole world. American people ica without my presence, or to go to Africa and work to should Jove America, but not because you are Americans, but restore a nation there? because you are independence soldiers, heavenly people. As a national citizen alone, you can never enter the Wherever you are, our members should Jove that nation as kingdom of heaven. You must be a world citizen, always heavenly people-love it more than even its own citizens do. embracing the world and thinking about the four billion America is more than one nation; it is a microcosm of the people of the world and their well-being. By living and world. I know very well that Korea is a poor country and breathing for the world, you shall enter the kingdom of needs a lot of help. If I had brought to Korea the resources I heaven. have brought to America, that whole nation could have been If you live in a random way and act out of expediency, instantly uplifted; people could immediately live better; they when the time comes for you to go to the spirit world, you would immediately accept me better. But instead of helping will find no place in heaven where you can settle down. Be a that country, all this help has come to America, because Moonie. Love the world. America represents the world. If you are dressed like a beggar and eat a beggar's food, If America can give true love to the world, will America still you can live for heaven. I always felt like I was going to decline? When America acts selfishly, people all around the heaven, even on my way to prison. In North Korea, when I world raise the cry, "Yankee, go home." That is the response was being escorted to prison, with handcuffs around my to selfishness. But when people see America acting for the wrists, I lifted up my arms and waved my hands to. my sake of the world, they will welcome Americans. I have followers. In my mind, I still hear that sound of two hand come here to educate you and to raise you up to be great cuffs clanging against each other as I waved to the members. people, and to raise this country up to be a great country. America's hope lies in serving the world. PROUD OF THE ONE LANGUAGE PROUDOFTHEONELAND AND CULTURE CENTERED UPON We don't recognize boundaries. Boundaries were made by GOD Satan. American immigration policy is one of the toughest, You American people think this would be virtually impos-· setting limits on immigrants coming from other countries. sible to achieve. The entire world is trying to learn English, But suppose another kind of requirement were made of so you might think the Pledge should be changed to read, prospective immigrants: completion of a I 20-day Divine "We are proud of the one English language and culture Principle workshop. I'm sure many people " ould be willing centered upon God"! Is English the heavenly mother tongue? to fulfill this requirement. Think what result this would have! The mother tongue should be the True Parents' language. Any world citizen would be welcomed. A baby listens to its parents and becomes aware of who its If the United states proclaimed the abolishment of national mother and father are by the language they talk. Are there boundaries, would the free world welcome the news? The many True Parents in the world today? Shouldn't the branches eventual result would be one world under God. be similar to the trunk, and the leaves similar to the If all the Moonies were to move out of America, the branches? When the wind blows, all the leaves on a tree lean United States would become such a boring place! There in the same direction. Culture is like the direction of the would be nothing of interest. People would long to have wind blowing in a given country. some Moonies back. "Please send us a Moonie," they would God's kingdom is our motherland; but God happens to be plead. "This place is too barren, too boring without them; 1 working through Korea, so Korea became the originating don't want to live in such a place." So they might pass a law point of the fatherland of faith. 12 If you recite this Pledge seriously and put these contents into practice, God will stay close to you. So be bold and strong. During its five thousand years of history, Korea was Thus, from the law of indemnity, Korea was the most invaded 931 times; still, Korea never collapsed; it was never appropriate nation to further the providence, playing a major totally destroyed. It continued as a distinct entity, with its and central role in human history. That is the historical own sovereignty. Originally, Korea included parts of main background I came from. This is not my individual ideology, land China; it was gigantic! But why has Korea been shrink but God's revelation. ing? Because the Korean people never invaded any other When you say, "One language and culture centered upon country. Korea was attacked many times, and it always God," do you put in parentheses afterwards "impossible!" defended itself, but inevitably it lost land and had to keep You have been thinking that way, haven't you? But people retreating farther east. As their gigantic territory was taken come together and get married, without even having a lan away bit by bit, by the enemy, the Korean people suffered guage in common! Unification is occurring; learning a lan incredible heartbreak, shed much blood, and made many guage is a technical matter. kinds of sacrifices. The Korean people have shed more blood If you want to become an authority on Divine Principle, because of foreign powers than any other people. Still, on Unificationism, you have to learn Korean. Suppose you Korean people never took revenge; instead, they forgave the have been studying Principle for 20 years and another person invaders. for only five. When he inquires what language you studied When Korea was attacked, its people became bold and in, you reply that you used the English translation. If he strong. The Mongolian hero Genghis Khan built up a gigan responds that he studied the original book, you lose your tic empire. According to history, he was never defeated, dignity in front of him. except on one occasion-when he attacked the Korean people. You are learning my words through an interpreter [Col. Korea was conceived primarily for a special dispensational Pak, on this occasion]. When I listen to his translation, I hear role. For that reason, Koreans are peaceloving. At the same him leaving out many things; some things he doesn't have time, they are brave and have a strong sense of indepen time to say, some things he doesn't remember-all kinds of dence. This spirit is evident in the Korean leaders of the mistakes occur. So do you want to hear from me directly in Unification Church of America! The Korean leaders have a my own tongue, or through an interpreter? You are children very stubborn spirit; they will never give in. Ten Korean who need an interpreter to understand your own father, so leaders have ten different opinions. There is only one way you have no pride. After all these years, you still need an they can be coordinated-and that is by me! Because the interpreter; shame on you! Korean leaders have the virtues of loyalty and obedience, One language and culture centered on God- you have not when I make a decision, they have no qualms about fulfilled it. Compared to our tradition of internationaf mar following it. riages, such as at Madison Syuare Garden or in Korea, From the beginning of their history, Korean people have creating one language and culture is nothing. I came and worshipped God. Reverence for God is very strong. The have been trying to learn English, in order to communicate Jewish people are similar, but their standard doesn't quite with the children. If the parents learn for the sake of the match that of the Koreans. children, how much greater effort you should be putting into Wherever Koreans go, they become a center of con learning your parents' language! You have no good excuse. troversy. There are many Korean fruit and vegetable stands in Am I younger than you? I am over 60 years old, but I am still New York City. But according to U.S. government welfare learning. You young people try to make excuses and com statistics, Koreans have the smallest proportion of welfare plain that it is too difficult. [In English:] Are you learning recipients of all ethnic groups. The basic nature of Koreans is Korean now? to want to help others, rather than to be helped. To receive When you go to the kingdom of heaven upstairs, you will welfare, to become a burden, is a shame to Korean people. discover that its language is Korean. English is spoken only They would rather be in a position to help others than to need in the colonies of the kingdom of heaven! What will you do? help. To help the country is part of the Korean spirit. You will be in deep trouble. A little further down the road, Another quality of the Korean people is their absolute when the Unification Church movement becomes more messianic fervor. There is a prevailing messianic concept advanced, the international and official language of the among Koreans. Many revelations have heralded the coming Unification Church shall be Korean; the official conferences of the messiah to Korea. Korean people have shed more will be conducted in Korean, similar to the Catholic con blood at enemy hands than people of any other country. Its ferences, which are conducted in Latin. history is filled with stories of_e;vil men plotting against good There are incredible difficulties in the world because of and innocent men. From the 13 Church. The latter displays will be more precious in the will come and bow down to you , especially if you say, "The heavenly kingdom museum. These Moonie faces of yours are fifth paragraph of the Pledge reminded me to learn Korean, museum pieces. Do you want to become priceless museum so I did it. Whenever you need an interpreter, let me know.' ' pieces, or cheap, junky ones? To be considered priceless, you That's one way of going to heaven! There are many ways have to work at it. When the elders of the spirit world meet of going to heaven! [much laughter by everybody]. to decide what language to write the museum guide in, they will use the True Parents' language. In the spirit world, not knowing Korean would be your PROUD OF BECOMING THE CHILD eternal shame. God will say, "My son , My daughter, you OF THE ONE TRUE PARENT were on earth when Rev. Moon was there, and you didn't We are proud of the one father-son relationship. Therefore, learn the mother tongue? Shame on you!" Will your ancestors all the people of the world are our brothers. praise you for not having learned Korean? No, they will lament, "Shame on you; you had a chance, a once-in-a million chance, to learn Korean, and you didn't do it." Suppose you did nothing of value on earth but learn PROUD OF THE FAMILY WHO IS TO Korean; you end up in hell, since you did little heavenly INHERIT ONE TRADITION work, but you are fluent in Korean. Then when your ances Centered on the True Parents, we have the True Family tors go to conferences and need an interpreter to understand tradition. The purpose of creation is to fulfill the heavenly me, they will recall you. "Well. my great-great-great grand four-position foundation. That is nothing more than the cre child is in hell, but he knows Korean; bring him out!" ation of the family foundation. Adam and Eve were the You never heard this kind of thing before, did you? I have parents and God the grandparents. Three generations are been reserving this information for a long time! Everyone necessary to make up the heavenly four-position foundation . 14 as the microcosm of the universe, so that whatever we do in the family we regard as training and discipline for our role in the society, nation and world. So look at old people as your grandparents, people your age as your brothers and sisters, young people as your children. Regard all people as expansions of your family. By practicing this theory, you can reach everywhere. The center is the family. Starting from this center, you can reach out in any direction, to the maximum extent. If you are in the center, everybody is at the same distance from you. The extension of your circle is heaven, so if you fulfill all this, you are entitled to heaven. In this framework, there is no need for boundaries or racial, religious, cultural separations. Because of the satanic element, we have not yet fulfilled this family tradition. But we are going out and fighting for it, through sacrificial service. We will continue until we bring the whole world under God. PROUD OF BEING A LABORER WHO IS WORKING TO ESTABLISH THE ONE WORLD OF THE HEART. One heart. By heart we shall fulfill the heavenly ideal. Anything that goes against it, we shall fight and prevail over. Not with weapons such as swords and rifles, but with these last three points of the Pledge-the father-son relationship, tradition, and heavenly heart. We will devote our whole life for this purpose. Have you ever thought about such exciting meanings in the Pledge? When Sunday con es around, do you get bored by the thought of saying Pledge? Or do you wish Sunday would come every other day? Or maybe every day? Even every hour? Shall we decide to say Pledge every hour? [lots of laughter] I know you little rascals! You are always thinking that Sundays come around too quickly! God loves Moonies. He doesn't just look at your faces but at your heart and mind. Can you pledge before Him, "I will never Jet You down; You know me. I will pick myself up and go on. I shall make it." If you recite this Pledge seriously and This creates one living truth-body, a sort of love-workshop. put these contents into practice, God will stay close to you. We have to practice that love-workshop. Without it, we So be bold and strong. cannot turn the world around. These seven points are what Satan hates most; he doesn't Then when you say, "me, myself, I," you will immediately want to see any of them accomplished. But God likes these think of your spouse, your parents, and your children. Father, most of all. Thus, these seven points are the battleground husband, son-all are one body, one entity. Mother, wife, upon which good and evil are fighting. Good and evil, God. daughter-all are one body, one entity. They are one body and Satan, heaven and earth, are determined here. You are because all heaven and earth are united in that one body. the center of the battle. You must go beyond the family, to When you love, you love your parents first, then your the society, nation, world and cosmos-until you reach the children, before you love your spouse. That is heavenly law. heart of God. Even in the secular world, when a couple separates or gets Starting from the heart of God, we inherit the true tradi divorced, they go back to their parents .md they want to keep tion and enter the true father-son relationship. Ultimately, their children. That is a universal, natural law, operating in then, we will fulfill the one nation, one sovereignty, one your mind, guiding your actions. people, and one language and culture centered upon God. Tradition means tradition centered on love: love for par That is our course. That is our Pledge, every Sunday morn ents, love for children, and low hetween husband and wife. ing. When we make this Pledge, we promise something to That is the True Parents' tradition, True Family tradition. The God. So we have to deliver on that promise. family is like a textbook of love. You are trying to apply that Today you have come to realize fully that this is not just a textbook to different levels-society, nation, world-based on ritual of our movement, but words we live by and a promise what you learned in the training center, the family. Most we determine to fulfill as champions of God. Those who people think only about their family, ignoring the society, make this Pledge raise your hands and say Amen. nation and world. But we are different: we look at the family God bless you. 15 MOTHER'S FIRST SEVEN--YEAR COURSE Continued from January 1983 Today's World. Mother: PEOPLE MAY THINK From an external perspective, knowing who Father is, people commonly come to THAT GOD MADE ME IN the conclusion that I must feel very honored and happy to have Father as my SUCH A WAY THAT I husband. They think that God made me in such a way that I was born perfect and WAS BORN PERFECT that I have not had to make any effort. They think that I just happened to meet AND THAT I HAVE NOT Father and we have been leading a very happy family life, and that now I am just HAD TO MAKE ANY enjoying my position. EFFORT. This is the general view people often have of me. But on the contrary, as much as Father walked the road of the cross and tribulation to be ordained in his position, I was also given an incredible cross to bear in order to become Mother; I had to reach for perfection. That standard is so high that sometimes I felt it was virtually impossible to attain the goal. Throughout that tremendous ordeal and hardship, patience, perseverance and extraordinary faith were needed to achieve the expecta tion of God. [Overcome by tears, Mother paused.] (Thinking of the path she walked, automatically brings tears to Mother's eyes, because it reminds her of all the hardships and tribulations she has suffered. This is why, as you can see, she is very emotional and sorrowful this morning. Just recalling the things she passed through is incredible torture. God tested her again and again, just as much as He tested our Father. Also, Satan was always trying to test her, just as he tested Jesus and Father. This delicate young lady had to go through the same ordeals as they did; it is all recorded in a secret chapter of history. Knowing the Principle, we can imagine how hard her path must have been.) After just a glimpse of my mission of being married to such an extraordinary person who was carrying such a universal burden, I felt it was virtually impossible even to think of fulfilling it. (Furthermore, she had grown up like a beautiful flower in a greenhouse, in the most peaceful surroundings and atmosphere. She felt almost like she had been plucked out of the greenhouse and thrown into a desert. There were all kinds of temptations and tests, and all kinds of incredible political and spiritual circumstances around her. She was like a little ship in a rugged sea.) But during this period I felt the grace of God constantly upon me. When I was in agony God revealed Himself to me and gave me messages and guidance; even in the times when I was not receiving such guidance from Him directly, God worked through those around me, many wonderful loving and protecting people. Through them God gave me constant guidance, daily instruction and leadership. Those days were a tremendous ordeal of difficulties and tribulations; but at the same time, those were truly the most beautiful days, a priceless time of grace when God's presence "as indeed with me. (Through her experiences, Mother has learned so much about God and God's way of doing things. She passed through hell as well as heaven. Both experiences were needed to make her perfect and mature enough to match heavenly expectation. If she had lived through only the joyful and heavenly side, she would not have appreciated that heaven, but she also went through the bottom of hell. Sometimes she felt that it was impossible to continue, just absolutely impossible! Such situations were too numerous even to count.) 16 Father: Knowing that some of the other members were jealous of Mother and her mother, JUST AS FATHER following the holy wedding I asked Mother's mother to restrain herself; she was not WALKED THE ROAD OF to come to see her own daughter too often, or if she did, she should only come THE CROSS AND secretly, through the back door. That put Mother's mother in such a miserable, TRIBULATION TO BE outcast position that nobody envied her role. Everyone had thought that to be ORDAINED IN HIS Mother's mother would be a glorious honor, something like being the mother of an POSITION, I WAS ALSO empress. But I silenced all those expectations and pushed her into a sacrificial role, GIVEN AN INCREDIBLE not even letting her come freely to see her daughter. Furthermore, during the first year I treated Mother almost like a servant, instead CROSS TO BEAR IN of a wife. We were bride and bridegroom, but that honeymoon period was nothing ORDER TO BECOME but an ordeal on Mother's part. She started out as a servant because I wanted her to MOTHER. start out from the very bottom. The important internal meaning behind my actions during that period was a test of faith for Grandmother Hong and Mother. No matter what the circumstances, they should not complain or rebel against me; they had to accept and persevere. That was my real desire, and they met that expectation. It was a reenactment of the Cain-Abel relationship. In order to understand Cain's position, you have to suffer for the sake of Cain; otherwise, you can never become Abel. Grandmother and Mother were in the Abel position to all other people, but they had to be capable of embracing all those who were despondent. I had already become victorious in all levels of the dispensation, from the individual to the universal scale; thus Satan had no right to accuse me. Mother, however, had to start from the beginning, so those first seven years were Mother's training session, Mother's seven-year fishing expedition. The first three years were destined to be her struggle to gain the victory as an individual woman, to become triumphant in the sight of God by overcoming Satan. During the following four years, the whole family had to go through that incredible testing period. Mother started out at the bottom, heading toward perfection. During those years, all kinds of things were said of Mother, even that she was a failure and that I was going to hand-pick a new bnde. You can imagine how heartbreaking that kind of rumor was to her. Furthermore, when it was known that our birthdays fell on the same day. some people accused her saying. "She is just creating a false birthday to make the days the same." It was all Satan's doing. Under those circumstances, Mother had to be silent, persevere and win. As the days and years passed, what happened? Since Mother continually persevered, since she was patient and silent and maintained her faith in me, eventually the whole environment of accusation was reversed and became one of respect and admiration. By then, everyone was nodding and saying, "She really deserves to be the Mother of the universe. She really is Mother." Because all of this was necessary in order to restore the center of love, you can imagine how extre e the passions became. Heavenly love and heavenly jealousy were entwined; the battle was quite fierce. I came in order to conquer love and restore it to God, to conquer the heart and restore it as well. Therefore, I had to pay indemnity for love and gain the victory over it, in order to restore all love for heaven. That was truly a cross of love, the most extraordinary cross of all. During this time, Mother and I never even discussed this situation. I never told her, "You must understand this, persevere and win because I am doing this on purpose." If I had explained things to her and comforted her in that way, then even though she had won the victory, it would have had no value. Mother had to figure it out herself, persevere m her own understanding, in her own right. Today, for the first time in my life, I am explaining the situation in depth, revealing to you things I never mentioned even to Mother. Through their victorious demonstration of faith, their untiring devotion and absolute dedication to me, Mother and Grandmother Hong became victorious. Therefore, after achieving this condition of universal victory, I have decided to give Grandmother glory as the mother of Mother. In her own lifetime she must receive the respect, admiration and glory that are due her. If she had died without receiving that glory, the coming generation of children would have been affected. From the Principle point of view, I am now treating her differently. 17 Mother's mother: Severely criticized FATHER TOLD US THAT I think it is impossible for anyone except a man or woman of God to accept an IF WE DID NOT KNOW 18-year-old girl in the position of True Mother. 'frue Mother's course over the seven WHAT WAY TO GO OR years following the Blessing was so hard that I can find no words to express it. HOW TO REACH OUR People scrutinized Mother severely. Some of the older people did l10t know how to ,., DESTINATION, WE approach her, because she was so young and beautiful, but 18-year-old Mother COULD ALWAYS RIDE accepted everything in silence, and in the end she won the victory. I had a recurring ON HIS SHOULDER; dream in which 'frue Mother would come to me and say, "Oh, I'm so tired and THEN THE PATH sleepy." WOULD BE EASIER. After the end of the seven-year course, 'frue Father asked me to serve True Mother and her t hildren, but I lacked the confidence to do so. This violated heavenly Jaw, and afterwards I was always sick and many times even found myself close to death. I then realized that if we disobey Heavenly Father, heavenly indemnity will be given to us. It has been my experience that Heavenly Father dislikes arrogance more than anything else. After accomplishing this seven-year course, 'frue Father established God's Day and blessed True Mother with tears, saying, "Heavenly Father, look at Your daughter who has achieved victory.'' God's course of restoration included the search for one True Eve. Even though 'frue Father was perfect, if we had been unable to find the victorious daughter of God, everything would have been meaningless. If he had not found True Mother when he was between the ages of 40 and 60, he would have failed everything. Mrs. Mee Shick Choi: A cross which others cannot fathom Mrs. Hong is so strong and has never shown any of her feelings to the members. She often said that she was surprised that Mother was her daughter, and that she was a little bit worried. Mother had just graduated from high school when she received such a great mission to carry out. You know that Eve failed at the top of the growth stage, so Mother, representing Eve, had to pass through that growth stage during the following three years, by the time she was 21. Her first baby, Ye Jin Nim, was born before Mother was 21. Since everything has to follow the Principle, we thought that the first baby would be a prince. "A prince has come, a prince has come," we sang and sang, waiting for the birth of the first child. But it was a princess. Speaking to us later, Father marvelled at how Heavenly Father truly loved us; he knew that everybody had expected a son, but Father was worried about trouble during this three-year period. If the first baby had been a boy, it would have represented Cain's position, and there might have been a Jot of fighting. For one year, I lived with Mother. sharing her room. because I was taking care of Hyo Jin Nim after he was born. I also had the special privilege of sleeping in the same bed with Mother for three nights after my Blessing, so I had a kind of skin-touch experience with her. I cannot talk to you about the kind of suffering and burden Mother has had to carry. She has had to bear a cross which others cannot fathom . Her smile is very sweet, but from the moment of her Blessing until 1967, her seven-year course was the hardest torture. Many times I saw her crying. I never asked why she was crying; i I knew how she had never gone on a 40-day mission, how she had never done any pioneer mission, witnessing, street preaching or fundraising. Although she never had this kind of experience, I knew she paid indemnity. Through the seven years, she went through great suffering, but her strong will and strict mind carried her through. We members were surrounded and sheltered by great blessing and great Jove; of course we suffered very much as we were growing spiritually, but we never felt that suffering, because we lived together with Father, and around him something exciting was always happening. Father told us that if we did not know what way to 18 go or how to reach our destination, we could always ride on his shoulder; then the MOTHER ALWAYS path would be easier. For myself, I feel that I did not suffer, but rather it was CONSIDERED THE Father, the one who knew all things, who bore the suffering. Now, if you know how MEETINGS SO to ride on his shoulder, you can grow easily. IMPORTANT FOR THE When I joined, I just thought of Father as teacher; never as father. Then after his ADVANCEMENT OF Blessing, he told us that he stood in the position of father. Ollt'. day he was an GOD'S WILL THAT SHE individual; the next day there were two in the pivotal point, Father and Mother. WILLINGLY OFFERED They represent six thousand years of human hope, the longing to meet True Parents. HER PLACE AS A Our ultimat · goal is not to find our teacher, but to meet our parents. That is why the MEETING ROOM. book of Revelation concludes with the Marriage of the Lamb, the establishment of parents. If we do not have parents, we cannot change our blood lineage, and we can never be a heavenly child. Through Father's family, I can see what Heavenly Father originally wanted. Because Mother is here, we can really feel hope and happiness. There are many things I do not know about Mother, but still I am so grateful that Heavenly Father provided our Mother. God kept her hidden for a long time, but one day Father gave her to us, for our benefit and for the benefit of all mankind. From our point of view, we wondered why Mother did not know how to lecture Principle, the reason why she had not been on an MFT, how come she did not pass the VOC test; but I am so happy and grateful when I see Mother. Mother's convehation is just like the original word, not the fallen word. She is the original worn< n and has been given tremendous love by her subject. What more could you ask for than the love and beauty of this original subject-and-object relationship? Rev. Won Pil Kim No place to sleep We can look to our True Parents' course for an example of the perspective we I AM SO GRATEFUL should maintain. Usually we suppose that a couple's married life should include THAT HEAVENLY some private time for conversation, but our Father and Mother rarely had such time FATHER PROVIDED OUR together. Even after their Blessing, they did not live in the same house; in the MOTHER. GOD KEPT beginning, Mother lived separately. and Father sometimes went to visit her. As you HER HIDDEN FOR A are aware, Father leads a totally public life, spending all his time with the LONG TIME, BUT ONE members. Even after the first children were born, only occasionally did he go to DAY FATHER GAVE HER visit Mother. Although he had a wife and children, his public life did not diminish, but became ever busier. TO US, FOR OUR Father's house was next to the church building, and we often held the leaders' BENEFIT AND FOR THE meetings there. Even then, our church's activities extended beyond Korea and BENEFIT OF ALL included many different departments. At all hours, leaders would come to ask MANKIND. Father's guidance. Whether it was a special day or not, whether a meeting was in progress or not, people would come to seek Father's advice, and his room was always crowded. Sometimes the church building was too small for Father's activities, causing many inconveniences, but Father would not build a new one. Furthermore, Father's room had poor ventilation, and in the summer it became quite hot. After about three years, Mother moved to the church building to live with Father. But as they had more children, for Mother to find even a corner in which she could give birth to her baby was so difficult; there was not enough space for her. Nevertheless. her first concern always went for Father's welfare. Before True Parents set out on their first world tour, Mother called me and quietly discussed her plan for rearranging the rooms, because her heart was so pained at seeing Father living in such inconvenient circumstances. While they were traveling, the members and I rearranged the rooms. However, when Father returned and saw this new set-up, he became quite angry; the room held so much historical significance, he said, and our changing it without his permission upset him. From our point of view, it was much better to rearrange the room for Father's conve nience, but Father's perspective was different from ours; he did not want to alter the room. because of God's heart which was planted there. At that time, all meetings were held in Father's room, which was of course Mother's room as well, for she slept there. The leaders would linger there with 19 MOTHER AND HER Father until he dismissed the meeting, usually late at night. When Mother was MOTHER GAVE pregnant, she often needed a place to rest, and since there was nowhere in their THEMSELVES room for her to rest, we arranged a small bathroom next door, where she could lie COMPLETELY FOR down. In our church life, we rarely have had to sleep in a bathroom, but when 'li"ue THREE YEARS. AITER Mother was tired, that was the only place she could find to sleep. We should never forget this point. THOSE THREE YEARS, Still, Mother always considered the meetings so important for che advancement EVERYONE BOWED of God's will that she willingly offered her place as a meeting room. Father was DOWN TO MOTHER aware that Mother had to rest in the bathroom, but still he had to fulfill God's will, AND CONFESSED, 'YES, regardless of the circumstances. Although he knew Mother's situation, he had to FATHER'S CHOICE WAS sacrifice it for God's will. RIGHT. THEY ARE THE Sometimes we held our meetings at another location. but we were limited by the GENUINE CENTRAL midnight-to-morning curfew. One night when the meeting was still in progress at FAMILY OF HEAVEN.' 11 :30, Mother became concerned about Father's health. She tried to signal the members to end the meeting early, but we did not recognize her preoccupation and care for Father. Finally she said, " The curfew will begin soon. Will you please end the meeting and go home?'' Still, Father would not close the meeting. Mother was pregnant and because of that often felt tired. Father knew her condition, so h.: told her to go to the next room and rest while the meeting continued. Just before the curfew, the meeting closed and they took a car home. This is just one testimony of Father's sacrificial course to gain the victory through home church. Father: An incredibly lonely path Mother is probably the loneliest person under the sun. Her history has been an incredibly lonely path, but that was her destiny. She had to be like that. Now she has become a mother and has a respected position. and she looks like a tremen dously fortunate person, but until she reached that point, she was a most miserable, lonely woman. Placed in a difficult position at such a young age, Mother went through training to be totally obedient and totally sacrificial for the sake of her husband. She had to fulfill that condition and give total love to her husband. If she had had everything in life and had come from a big family. she could very easily have become arrogant. But she could not protest that her father or her elder brother was superior to her husband. She could not even consider any comparison; she could not think that any man- whether he be her grandfather or any teacher or professor- was better than her husband. In the garden of Eden, Eve had only one choice. There were no other men around, and she had to focus on just one man, Adam. This is why I picked an innocent young lady like Mother. Before I could be a husband to her, I was a father and elder brother. Eve had to be restored in the proper sequence. Eve had lost God her Father, so she must first be restored to God and her father. When they were growing up, Adam was supposed to be her elder brother, so next she had to be restored to her brother. Finally, she could be restored to her husband. I was not looking for a worldly woman. In order to accomplish the perfect pattern and meet God's formula, I picked an innocent young lady, aged 17, to whom I could be a father, elder brother and then husband. I educated Mother on three levels: as a father, as an elder brother, and ultimately as a husband, in the tradition of total obedience, total sacrifice and total love. This was the road I myself had walked, and she was to travel it as well. By indemnifying what Eve lost in the garden of Eden, I could restore everything at once, through one person. There are many crosses of love . The Mother you see today has experienced a lot of pain. She met many tests and tribulations and has had to overcome each step of the way. I was very ruthless and cruel in testing Mother. One day I would be kind and loving, and the next day ice cold and tyrannical. She would cry for many hours. After the Blessing, we lived like separate persons for almost three years, not even in the same house. She could not even come to me freely. I gave such harsh treatment to her rm'lther as well. She was given strict orders 20 Father and Mother, around the end of the first seven-year course. not to enter through the front door for three years. I told the mother of the IN THE SIGHT OF BOTH bride, ''You must not tell your daughter that she is to be pitied and that you wish GOD AND SATAN, OUR she never had this position. You must never speak like that. If you do, you would be VICTORIOUS committing a tremendous crime, not only against yourself but against all women FOUNDATION FINALLY on the same level in the spirit world." I was so severe all those years that PROVED THAT I WAS even now Grandmother Hong is very reserved and hesitant about coming before me. AN INVINCIBLE You can imagine how many women in our church were jealous of Mother during HUSBAND AND THAT those years. Many felt that the one who had been chosen was not capable or MOTHER WAS AN qualified for the role. Everyone criticized Mother for having this or that deficiency, INVINCIBLE WIFE. and noted how her first child was a girl and not a boy. During the first three years all kinds of gossip floated about. Some even said that Mother was only in the John the Baptist position, and that the real bride was still to come. Can you imagine such jealousy of love that existed? All of this fell within the strategy I had mapped out for those three years. When people felt intensely jealous of them, I was strict with Mother and her mother, demanding total obedience, total sacrifice and total love. They gave themselves completely for three years. After those three years, everyone bowed down to Mother and confessed, "Yes, Father's choice was right, and Mother and her mother must be respected. They are the genuine central family of heaven.'' After three years they were given open recognition. 3126178 Even though Mother was installed as True Mother, we could not live as a happy family right away. A three-year period of purification and separation was necessary, a period which was crucial before moving on to the next stage of the dispensation. In order to begin the second seven-year course, all conceivable indemnity was paid on the family level. In this hrst seven-year course, Mother had to be perfected as the True Mother; it was the period of growth for Mother herself. As you know, the human fall occurred in the perfection level of the growth stage. Therefore, during the seven-year course which Mother and I went through together, we had to cross through the growth stage and reach the perfection stage; during this 21 SHE HAD TO PASS time I had to restore and install Parents' Day, Children's Day and Day of All THROUGH SEVEN Things. In the seven-year course, the most important condition Mother and I had to YEARS OF VERY RIGID set was never to complain, no matter how difficult the obstacles and hardships which came our way. We could not even feel discouraged, anguished or rebellious STEPS IN ORDER TO PAY in any way. THE HISTORICAL In this manner, God used Satan to give Mother and me the worst kind of test and INDEMNITY FOR ALL tribulation. In this way I had to be tested and hardened as the True Parent. Satan WOMEN AND BE created incredible situations one after another, not only for me but for Mother as LIBERATED HERSELR well, during these first seven years. Mother could easily have given up and said, "Father, you are too great a husband; I simply cannot follow you. I am not worthy of you, so let me pack up and go ." She could very well have done that many times during those seven years. To make things worse, when Mother was so heavily burdened, I was not even a comforting husband to her. At the beginning, I had to act as the worst kind of cruel husband and put her through tests that were harder than even Satan's tests. Knowing that Satan was going to test her, I had to test her first myself. But even though my tests were worse than Satan's, still she could perceive some purpose behind them and understand the reason for them. That made them easier to bear than Satan's tests. In this way, we grew closer and closer together, in those first seven years. In the sight of both God and Satan, our victorious foundation finally proved that I was an invincible husband and that Mother was an invincible wife. No matter how difficult a standard Satan used to challenge us , God could justifiably proclaim that we had passed the test. The many other couples who were blessed during those seven years knew that the True Parents had set the true standard, and they followed that standard and united with us, serving us without a word of complaint. In this way, they could obtain the same degree of perfection. Those blessed couples, particularly the wives, could have protested to me, "I just don't understand you. What kind of husband are you? How can you treat your wife like that?" But the couples who passed the test had no doubt about one thing: regardless of how many incomprehensible things I did, I was undeniably and absolutely God-centered; whatever I did, it was for God. The 36, 72, 120 and 430 couples who were blessed within that seven-year period knew something of the difficult path Mother and I trod. Knowing the difficulties we had to overcome, they could never complain. 1I1180 When Mother first became my wife I was very stem and serious with her. I never gave her any freedom , because I was detennined to make her perfect. If I followed her in some way without realizing the effect of such action, the consequences would have been very grave. Women always want to have pretty things and to fix their hair and wear make-up. Now Mother is free, and if she wants to do her hair in a certain style, that is fine. Even if she wears red or black clothes now, that is all right; she can buy clothes on her own now. But this was not always so. It was a long time before she was pennitted to go shopping, and even now she only goes once in a while. People have thought of Mother as very happy and carefree, and everybody envied her; but Mother has had a more difficult time than any other woman. If she had not paid all the necessary indemnity in Korea, then she could not have come to • a foreign country and worked with me. Even now, her role is not simple. Only a few years ago, Mother was required to give a full bow to me every morning. She has to live according to a strict code. Even though she loves me very much she cannot freely express her feelings as an ordinary woman would. She cannot kiss me at will, and even though she is tired, she cannot just sleep whenever she wishes. She always has to watch me. I made sure Mother could be free to do certain things. She had to pass through seven years of very rigid steps in order to pay the historical indemnity for all women and be liberated herself. I was the sternest of all husbands, a most fearful man during those seven years. Later, I became the one who loves her the most. It was not fair to her, but for the sake of all women, I had to do this. This is why Mother respects me. She truly knows how principled I am and how everything that I do has its cause in God's will. She feels that I am like God. Once she became like that, then I could reciprocate and feel the same way towards her. 714178 22 NEW IMPETUS FOR THE PROVIDENCE IN AMERICA For many years, other nations have sent members and resources to aid the American church-which should be not only self-sufficient, but able to support the providence in other countries as well. During the weekfollowing God's movement; as regional directors they uations to the history of the providence Day, our seemingly-tireless Father will push members to achieve the and the development of the Unification spoke several times to gatherings of 1-1-1 goal. Father also announced a Church. church leaders in New York, anxious to mobilization of Korean and Japanese Korean leaders are also vertically stimulate new vitality in our movement wives Jiving in America and implied strong, Father added, and are not in western countries. The following is that he will be staying in the United easily shaken; people don't find it easy not an actual transcription of Father's States during the next three years and to relate to them horizontally. "You words, but a presentation of the major concentrate much effort on building up can get strength by going through points, adapted by Joy Pople from Joy the American movement. them; because of their spiritual depth, Garrett's notes. After considering for a long time, Father selected Japan as the best Asian country in which to create the center GENERAL LEADERS' of spiritual tradition. CONFERENCE Jn comparing styles of leadership, they can embrace your culture," Father On January 2, Father met with interna Father finds western leaders more busi promised. tional, American, and New York lead nesslike and horizontal when they give Father wants western leaders to be ers in the World Mission Center. He reports; they seem spiritually dry, he trained under the fullest, vertical tradi began by talking about the role of observed. In contrast, eastern leaders, tion of the Korean church, although he Korean (and Japanese) leaders. The especially the Koreans, often talk realizes that western pride makes it elder Korean members who have been about spiritual revelations and insights. difficult to accept oriental leadership. serving as itinerant workers on various They are better intermediaries, Father Still, he emphasized the providential continents will now devote most of feels, between the spirit world and necessity of this relationship; without their time to assisting the American physical world, connecting current sit- these leaders, members cannot become 23 part of the main trunk of the Unifica Father asserted, and in this conference Americans a positive, unforgettable tion Church tradition. "I do not mean he challenged Mr. Kamiyama and Dr. time . that Korean culture should become Durst to resolve to make a new begin These Koreans have lived many American culture," he cautioned, ning. For many years, other nations years with Father and are being sent •'just that Koreans are closer to the have sent members and resources to out to "live as Father lived." Father heavenly tradition." aid the American church-which warned the state leaders that the IW 's Father is thinking of assigning a should be not only self-sufficient, but would probably impose more disci Korean (and/or Japanese) leader to able to support the providence in other pline on them, making them rise ear work with each American or western countries as well. lier, perhaps, and pray more. Could leader- in order to establish the tradi Then Father talked with each of the they welcome that pressure? tion he wants. This is not to be a permanent arrangement, however; it The reason why you don't develop more is not because would continue long enough for the tradition to take root-perhaps five of any lack of ability, but lack of heart. years. Westerners have deeply ingrained habits, he explained, which European leaders, giving them sugges Father referred to his advice to the may take a long time to change. tions and getting each one to make a CA USA staff when they began teach Then Father said he had been post commitment of how many new mem ing Unificationism in Latin America a pcming certain drastic changes until the bers they will gain by the end of the couple of years ago. " Regardless of persecution in the United States abates. year. He asked some European leaders, what attitude you take, your efforts "But the time has come for major including Dennis Orme and Reiner will be instantly prosperous, and you changes." As long ago as 1978, he Vincenz, to return to America, and will gain instant results. But if you do had decided that "westerners couldn't assigned several Unification The this without heart, the results will cope on their own." He referred to the ological Seminary graduates to leader diminish bit by bit, and in the end very membership goal which was supposed ship responsibilities in Gennany. The little will be left. However, if you take to have been achieved by 1978, and the meeting closed with reports about up the task with the deepest heart and 1-1-1 motto, which he has continually American CARP from , 1ichael Smith best attitude, the initial effect will be stressed. There is no easy way to and Mr. Matsuzaki, and about the similar, but the results will become accomplish that goal- just sacrifice. Washington Times and CAUSA from greater and greater, as you advance in After reflecting for a long time, Col. Pak. heart." Two speeches or two letters identical Father stressed that he is trying to convey to us in appearance may produce different effects, depending on the level of heart something much deeper than words, levels of feeling invested in them. Father described the which we must learn to read. different impacts made by a letter writ ten without deep feeling and a letter Father selected Japan as the best Asian It was late at night, and Father left written in tears. Even a beautifully country in which to create the center of the room. Col. Pak tool. out a thin worded letter will soon be forgotten, if spiritual tradition; thus he has been black book, in which Father writes the its writer shed no tears. Father putting Mr. Kuboki, Unification outlines for his speeches and sennons repeated an often-stressed theme: Church president, and Mr. Furuta, and sometimes detailed plans. Father "Prayer is absolutely vital to your Happy World president, through heavy had just written down a list of our development. The reason why you training. The Japanese family has been movement's objectives and future stra don't develop more is not because of sacrificing itself almost totally for the tegy. Col. Pak translated these into any lack of ability, but lack of heart. sake of the world. In a recent con Japanese and English, and those who When there is no heart, heaven cannot versation with Mr. Furuta, Father sug were present took notes. [Rev. Kwak's work with you." gested that the Japanese church invest article in last month's Today's World Father compared our task of wit- • more of its resources in Japan, but Mr. Magazine includes many of these nessing and raising people with a Furuta refused, convinced that to points.] farmer's toil in raising crops. "You ensure the well-being of Japan, mem plow the soil and cultivate it through bers have to give sacrificially for heart and prayer. However, you cannot world-wide causes. His attitude Meeting with U.S. state plant the seed. Even someone of impressed Father. leaders extraordinary personal ability can When Father asks something, the At East Garden the following morning, never plant the seeds. Only heaven can Japanese members jump into action, Father began by describing how dif do that." and if they cannot fulfill a goal, they ficu lt it is for Koreans to learn Eng He suggested that state leaders visit deeply repent, make a new resolve, lish. Even though the new Korean their state capital and look at the cap and try again. But Father sees in the IW's may not speak English, he chal itol building. [Members can focus this western leaders a kind of complaining, lenged the state leaders who will be kind of heart on any historical build ungrateful heart that hinders his ability working with them to open up their ing.) "Think of the past patriots and to work with them. The American hearts, seeking to understand them on of all those who labored to construct church in its present form cannot be a heart level, and make what for some the building. Before you, there were the model for western civilization, will be their first experience with people who loved that state [city, coun- 24 try, etc.] and sacrificed for its sake. establish a video center. The Japanese Father commented about some of There were many people who cried family has been using video centers for those present, teaching lessons through when they thought of its destiny, and teaching Principle, with considerable them. He urged leaders not to compete they offered deep prayers for its future. success in winning new members, and for closeness with him, not to criticize Now you have to dig up that history Father wants to try this in America. He the church leaders of other nations and link it with the present time. You talked about the upcoming national (only Father may do that), and when are the only hope that sustains the past witnessing effort. He also urged the returning to their center or office, to and links it to the present and future. leaders to transmit what Father is shar hear public reports before spending With desperation-as if a member of ing with them to their members; the time with their wife. He also remarked your own family were at the point of leaders should convey Father's heart to that no matter how good a public rela death- forget yourself and cry out to the members, enabling the members, tions job leaders may do in order to God, 'Heavenly Father, do something in turn, to pour out their heart and sell an idea or project to Father, he about this state.' Then God will hear tears for all people. knows the truth about the situation. you and work miracles.'' During the remainder of the meet Father then apologized for his ing, Father discussed Unificationism inability to speak English well, but Celebration of as a strategy and as an ideology. "I stressed that he is trying to convey to In Jin Nim's birthday have proclaimed Unificationism, and us something much deeper than words, Father doesn't usually give a talk at a we have to go through the battle until levels of feeling which we must learn birthday celebration, but this time he it is accepted. Our organization is to read. Because of these deep feelings spoke to everyone who had gathered at moved by philosophy, heart, people undergirding his speeches, even though East Garden for the January 6 cere and ideology; but the center of the-.e is we don't understand all his words, we mony. "It's time to draw conclusions heart-the heart of hannony and com feel drawn to him. about recent reports," he said, and he passion. This is what we have to share Father stressed that leaders should elaborated on the qualities of leader with the Christian world. The ideology develop some special quality, which ship. Leaders may be externally capa of Unificationism we offer to the com will make people feel attracted to ble, but Father said his concern is that munist world. Our challenge and mis them. Anyone who proclaims God's they be internally prepared. What they sion is to unite everyone under the words should spend three hours in say and what they do should match. banner of Unificationism. prayer as preparation for every hour of The leadership in our church reflLcts ••Americans in general don't want speaking. This was the advice Father on Father; if people see arrogance in to hear VOC; sometimes they feel gave to the CAUSA staff, and they Unification Church leaders, they frightened of us. But Unificationism is have been applying it with good assume that Rev. Moon is arrogant. not anti-anything. We are talking about results. Father said that when he has Before the public sees Father, they unity. Idealistic people will see it as a prayed for a place, he usually spent meet his assistants. Likewise, Father way to unite and will adopt it as their seven hours in a row, in the same said he always evaluates leaders ideology. Through CAUSA, Unifica posture, praying- sometimes even through his contact with the people tionism has had a big impact in Latin twelve or fourteen hours in succession. who were trained by them. America, and I want it to spread to North America as well. People don't Our organization is moved by philosophy, heart, people have to change their religion to be a Unificationist: one person may be a and ideology; but the center of these is heart-the heart Catholic Unificationist, another person of harmony and compassion. a Jewish Unificationist, etc. The root of Unificationism is Rev. Moon and The most precious thing is intense feel Father then paid unusual tribute to the Unification Church, and people ing in prayer. "If you think of this Mother and praised her for being will eventually be drawn to the root.'' world as a desert, don't try to be a "almost greater than me, because she Father asked various department rock, but be a cactus. Birds and ani is so benevolent and wonderful.'' leaders to pave the way for spreading mals never go to a desert rock to rest, Mother is responsible for educating the Unificationism in America- New but to a cactus; even though it has children, and they represent and reflect Future Films should prepare video thorns. inside is water which they can her. In observing the fruit of her won tapes, for example. During this year, drink and through which receive life." derful qualities in the church, Father Father wants his message to be more Father urged members to pray using sees a leadership potential he would widely publicized, and he plans to the outline he gave on January 2, like to cultivate. travel around the country, meeting with pledging to become the foremost Many members have been out fund people who understand something of ancestor in their home church area. He raising, and Father urged those who his vision and encouraging them to stressed the need to have some such stayed behind-"keeping the home speak out on his behalf-and perhaps point or points on which to focus our fires burning"- to cultivate a mother's give speeches himself. standard of heart, such as this outline heart towards those who went out sac or the yearly motto. Our prayers, ser rificially. Also, he reminded leaders mons, etc., can explore the meaning of always to cultivate the ideal vertical this year's motto, "Home Church Is connection with those above them and Our Land of Settlement.'' those below them, and to maintain Father urged each state leader to both kinds of relationships. 25 GOD: THE CONTEMPORARY DISCUSSION II The nearer we draw to divinity or the more we explore any religion, the more we find it is we who must offer a defense of God, if He is to have one. THE DEFENSE OF GOD Jack Kiburz God: The Contemporary Discussion II presented chal lenges and produced unqualified successes. Because of pres sure on the government of Trinidad, the conference site was changed to Florida, and all the participants had to be notified within the four short weeks prior to the opening session on December 30. Undeterred, however, 107 scholars, some with their families, gathered at the Hilton Inn and Conference Center in Fort Lauderdale to begin four days of inter-religious and intra-religious dialogue. Dr. Frederick Sontag, the conference convenor, set the tone for the conference in his opening address, "The Defense of God." Pointing to theological differences concerning the limits of God's power and freedom to exercise it, Dr. Sontag suggested to those assembled, "If there is to be a defense of God, we humans must provide it." We come "seeking God to defend us only in the end to find that. the nearer we draw Over the course of the four days, there was ample opportu to divinity or the more we explore any religion, the more we nity to make acquaintance with scholars known previously find it is we who must offer a defense of God, if He is to only from afar: a face and a heart gave dimension to the have one." He concluded by challenging those present to find printed word. Virtually all those present keenly felt the unity in their common defense of God and thereby provide a preciousness of this opportunity. peaceful means to resolve differences, by rising above doc As each section moved more deeply into discussion and a trine, race, class and nature. shared sense of "groupness" emerged, interest also Participants came from 27 countries and represented var increased in the work of the other sections. Mealtimes gave ious Christian traditions, Judaism, Islam. Hinduism. some opportunity for people in different sections to share Buddhism, Confucianism, and other philosophical and reli what was happening, but the first substantial opportunity was gious traditions. They were organized in seven theme groups: provided towards the end of the conference, when all the Section I. Spiritual discipline and ultimate reality papers from each section were displayed. With great enthu Section 2. Words of/about God in sacred scriptures siasm, everyone crowded around the table in search of Section 3. Avatar: The idea of incarnation in the world's particular "treasures." religions By this time, people could begin to really appreciate the Section 4. The names and concepts of deity: Our lan uniqueness of what was happening at this conference. One guages about ultimate reality person marveled, "a truly ecumenical dialogue has taken Section 5. Understanding who God is: Masculinity, femi place here," while others noted that this conference was "the ninity, plurality, duality. process, emptiness, etc. best conference I have ever attended." Section 6. God and social reality: Spiritual liberation and Interest in Father and the Unification Church was building the social dimension of religion up throughout the conference. Nearly all the participants Section 7. Religion and the numinous: Theology vs. attended an evening session on the reasons behind the change mystery in conference site and the nature of the persecution against the church. For many, this was the first tangible experience These themes convey something of the breadth of discus of illogical persecution against the church. sion. Prior to coming to the conference, participants prepared Those who voiced sympathy with Father and the church papers, which were distributed to all who were going to were also moved by the unusual event which attracted repre participate in that section. Responses had also been prepared sentatives of so many different religions in an atmosphere before the sessions began. This extensive preparation pro free of religious bigotry. They did not feel any need to vided the stimulus for exciting and engaging dialogue. criticize one another's faith. Person-to-person contact was 26 \ hat made the difference. Key papers from the first conference have been published CLOSING REMARKS in a 418-page volume entitled God: The Contemporary Dis Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak cussion. Edited by Frederick Sontag and M. Darrol Bryant, On behalf of Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, l would this book is already making an impact. According to reports, like to thank you for contributing to tt-11;: success of this in places such as Harvard University, people are astounded second annual conference on God. You have significantly that such an extremely diverse range of people would even enriched not only the contemporary discussion about God, assemble in the same place. but also inter-religious dialogue in gto neral. I think that the Twenty-two major papers discuss God from such varying "defense of God," the preservation and encouragement of religious traditions as Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, "divine traditions in every land" which Professor Sontag African traditions, Judaism, and Islam. One writer argued for called for so eloquently in his plenary address, has been well the personality of God and another against it. Some papers served by your participation in this conference. simply present the perspective of a given religious or philo As I explained in my closing remarks last year, Rev. sophical tradition; others address themselves to critical issues Moon's support for these conferences grows out of his life arising within a particular tradition or between traditions; long dedication to God. In the 25 years I have known him, he has passionately and consistently worked to make God the center of his life, and to act according to God's will. He talks about God every day and feels that the contemporary discus sion about God deserves much more prominence than it has been given before now; so he has been happy to support these conferences and will continue to do so in the future. But promoting scholarly discussion about God is only part of Rev. Moon's motivation. Actually, he has a much larger vision and much greater hope; and in order that you might better understand his motivation, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you something of that vision and hope. Rev. Moon has tremendous faith in God's determination to save the human family from misery and destruction. Our generation is facing the most serious crisis in human history. Weapons of mass destruction threaten the very sur some present an analysis of an issue that cuts across different vival of our human family. The problem is not technological, religious and philosophical perspectives; and still others seek smce technology can just as easily benefit humanity as to cross over from one tradition to another. This year's God destroy it. The problem is that the human family is deeply conference will surely produce an equally stimulating book. divided against itself. We find tragic divisions everywhere in The section leaders chosen for the second conference had the world and in every period of history-between and within participated in last year's God Conference, but for most of nations, between and within families, and between and the participants, this was their first such experience. This within individuals. Healing these divisions is now more will probably be the pattern: people will participate in only urgent than ever before, but the magnitude of the task seems one such conference; ideally that conference will stimulate overwhelming. Where can we start? them to promote healing and unification among religious Rev. Moon is convinced that we must start with God. The people, as the first step t•YWard t"'aling and unification in entire human family has its foundation in God, who is society in general. absolute and infinite. God relates to people through all of the world's religions, but transcends every sectarian viewpoint. Since no single group of people can know or manifest Gocf completely, diversity and differences of opinion are inevitable and wholesome. But as children of the same heavenly Parent, we are all brothers and sisters; so conflict and divisive hatred are unnecessary and destructive. By grounding our unity in God and recognizing that all of our human viewpoints are limited, we can heal our divisions through love and mutual respect, without having to insist on a monolithic uniformity. If God is the key to healing our divisions, then the healing process must begin with religion. Since the highest ideals and deepest commitments of each culture are to be found in its religions, a reconciliation of the divisions within and between the world's religions would pave the way for rec onciliation at every other level of human existence. But practically speaking, how can religious reconciliation be achieved? In Rev. Moon's thinking, conferences such as this are an 27 important preliminary step. As scholars, you share values which transcend your differences of opinion. Your commit ment to the search for truth enables you to achieve a unity DISCUSSIOf based on mutual respect rather than uniformity of belief. and your dedication to free and open dialogue enables you to overcome the ignorance and misunderstanding which contri 1982- Jan. 4, 1983 bute to division and conflict. But your efforts need not end here at this conference. If you carry this global vision, this spirit of mutual respect and ecumenical dialogue, back to tn Inn, ~t. Lauderdale, Florid colleagues in your respective religious communities, you can pave the way for meetings of prominent leaders within your religious traditions, and thus facilitate the process of healing and unification there. Furthermore, by fostering mutual respect and under standing, your efforts could lay a foundation for future ··summit meetings" between leaders of the world 's major religions. At such meetings, religious leaders could resolve the conflicts which divide them, and could discuss common approaches to world peace. Their unity would inspire con scientious people in every nation and culture to work together more harmoniously for the solution of pressing political and economic problems. In this way, your efforts could make a la<>ting contribution not only to excellence in religious schol arship. but also to world peace and prosperity. If major religious leaders take responsibility nd fo r healing the divisions that afflict us and New ERA lnternatt0nal unite together based on their shared 2 Conference on devotion to God and humanity, then God GOD: THE will accomplish through them what no single religion can accomplish alone. CONTEMPORARY DISCUSSION Perhaps this strikes you as overly optimistic. But Rev. Moon has tremendous faith in God's determination to save Dec. 30 1982 - Jan ~ 1983 the human family from misery and destruction. Furthermore, The Hilton Inn ._.,,..•~t Lauderdale Flnrui~ he is convinced that if major religious leaders take respon sibility for healing the divisions that afflict us and unite After the conference, Rev. Kwak added the following together based on their shared devotion to God and humanity, comments: then God will accomplish through them what no single Religions have a vital role to play in realizing God's goal. religion can accomplish alone. The day of the "global But if they just focus on their traditional beliefs and princi village" is rapidly and inevitably approaching, even though ples, they don't allow enough space for harmonizing with many people are still unaware of its imminence. What a Heavenly Father's goal. No one religion could sponsor a tragedy it would be if, when that day arrives and we find conference of such breadth. Only our True Father could make ourselves living in such a small world, our hearts are not big this happen. enough to embrace each other. Religious scholars who study their religious tradition thor I encourage those of you who value what is being initiated oughly and reach the peak of their religion then realize thal at these conferences to see yourselves in the role of pioneers. their religion alone is not complete; they have to reach out By communicating to others the mutual respect and under and explore other religions. standing which you have experienced here, and the vision of Our Father has planned and supported the God's Con religious reconciliation which we share. you can help to ferences, along with the Youth Seminar on World Religions, pioneer the way for a global village in which our human Ne' ERA , etc. , to create a historic revolution and make a family can live harmoniously and prosperously. On behalf of new beginning. He longs to stir up new hope in mankind Rev. Moon, I urge you to assist in the fulfillment of this great through such interreligious activities. hope. This year an international religious foundation will be Rev. Moon, for his part, will continue to support con launched. Just as the International Cultural Foundation is ferences such as this. In addition, he is willing to help sponsoring a broad scope of activities in the scientific and finance other efforts by you to heal the divisions within your intellectual field, the international religious foundation will own religious communities, as well as to prepare the way for reach out and embrace the religious world, through such future summit meetings between major leaders of the world's activities as the World Youth for God, New ERA, Youth religions. He welcomes your suggestions, not only on how to Seminars on World Religions, God Conferences, and other improve future conferences, but also on how to accomplish activities now being envisioned, such as religious olympic the larger goal of religious reconciliation. games. 28 Let's Embody God's Words Mrs. Haruko Kanari My motto is, 'Even though I cannot do it, I will try my best; even though I cannot do it perfectly, I will still take up the challenge.' At a recent 120-day workshop in New York, Mrs. Kanari shared with members about how she applies Father's words in her daily life. An early member in Japan, she was one of three Japariese ''mamas'' with a prayer mission. Now living in New York, she cooks for True Pare11ts when they stay in the World Mission Center. One of Father's sayings that most impressed me when I joi~ the Unification Church was this, "We must really understand and acquire the word of God; not only that, we must become the embodiment of God's words and pursue the realm of His words and their embodiment every day.'' At that time I felt at a loss, in a sense, because Father's words are so universal and so gigantic. I would write down the sayings of his that most impressed me and tried so hard to embody each of them. Hut the task seemed too great. So I determined to begin by striving to embody at least one saying of Father's. No time to be cozy Father once talked about Gideon [his story is found in the book of Judges, in the Old Testament] and his search for brave warriors. He asked those who came to him as volun teers to drink water from a stream, and Gideon chose those up and confront anybody. who scooped up water with their hands, without setting down Another saying of Father's that impressed me was this: their weapons. To always wear a weapon means to actualize "You should dedicate your whole life, for one second or one Father's words. Based on this analogy, Father said that we moment." Therefore, I really started to challenge myself on have to keep alert-even to the point of not changing into this point and try to dedicate even one second to thinking nightclothes to sleep-ready to get up at an instant's notice. I about God's heart and relating to others with that heart. was very impressed by this. In those days it was surprising to hear someone say that we should go to sleep without using a Wammg of accidents nightgown, but I understood Father to mean that we should not take our ease and be cozy, even at home, but always be I heard that Father always wakes up and prays at 4:00 a.m ~ , ready to challenge and meet whatever circumstances that without fail. Also, I know that his whole day is a day of might come our way, even in the middle of the night. I began prayer. I was very challenged by that standard. It is so hard to live this way, going to bed with my clothes on and hair for fallen man to lead a life of intensive prayer all day long; fixed, ready to jump up at a moment's notice. the tendency to become self-centered is so strong. Such a life In Japan I worked closely with Mr. Kuboki, president of requires much discipline. the Japanese Unification Church, as his secretary. In those I trained myself as much as I could to lead such a life of days, Mr. Kuboki used to go to holy ground to pray late prayer. That doesn't mean always staying in the prayer room, every night and return around 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. I had to wait but making life itself a prayer. So whether I am in the kitchen up until he came back, so I would lie down with my clothes or bathroom, every second of the time I try to stay in the on. Father's words were very helpful to me then, when I had realm of prayer. Originally, I was not such a spiritual person, to remain attentive and prayerful through the early hours of but through such moments of prayer, God has told me many the morning. The other members had gone to bed, but since things: warning me of a dangerous situation Mr. Kuboki was the headquarters gate was left unlocked for Mr. Kuboki 's facing, a critical moment for some member, a potential return, anybody could have entered. Various strange people accident, etc. Even though I did not pray for this knowledge, did come in at times, and I would become scared. But God would reveal such situations to me and I would be drawn because I was prepared for any circumstance, I could jump to pray about them. Upon returning to the center, the person 29 involved would tell how some kind of accident was about to cold shower before going to bed. happen, but somehow he or she managed to escape. Such Another of Father's mottos which I have tried to embody incidents have taken place more often than I can tell. is to "forgive, love, and unite." This is very important, because it contains a wealth of meaning, for our personality and heart, teaching us how to deal with brothers and sisters. 'We must really understand and acquire the Father once told the leaders, "Speak words which will not word of God; become the embodiment of God's fall down to the earth and disappear, but speak words which words; and pursue the realm of His words heaven can receive. Talk about what you have experienced and their embodiment every day.' with Heavenly Father-something which is really living; don't speak words which Satan can snatch away." This means that every moment we have to study Father's course and To become the embodiment of God's words seemed an Father's life. enormous challenge; it means polishing my personality Father also said, "Devote yourself 120 percent, to the according to the heavenly standard and deepening God's heart point where you can give your life every second." This in myself. A big part of the battle is to become selfless-to doesn't mean that Father said we should wish to die, or any make myself nothing. This is one of the principles of any such thing, but that our devotion and dedication should reach religion: to make yourself nothing; to become selfless and not 120 percent. This saying was fearful to me, for I still don't be preoccupied about yourself; always to live for others; feel I have devoted myself enough to serving Heavenly continually to strive to become the embodiment of God; and Father, True Parents, central figures, and all the brothers and always to relate to other people and things from such a sisters. We really have to serve more. perspective. Regarding the tortures which Father has gone through, one Unfortunately, it is easy for fallen people to deal with spiritualist said, "From the spiritual point of view, Father other persons and things in the wrong way. Father often said faced life and death situations 430 times." But in the midst that we need to become bigger receptacles for God and other of all this, Father never forgot the heart of challenging every people and be able to listen to all things. situation. Because he wanted to save all mankind, and because he wanted to serve all men, he could overcome the most critical and dangerous moments. I look for your good points Therefore, every day, I try to take a humble Cain position. When members who just joined yesterday-or even today Beginning our prayers talk about God's words and their precious experiences with My attitude about prayer has changed since the beginning of Heavenly Father, we should take Cain's position and listen to my time in the church. While Father was still striving to everything. I believe that Abel's position is held by the complete his 21-year course, he said that we should begin person who has gained some sort of victory and can report our prayers with gratitude that we were able to join the these experiences to God; but when young members talk Unification Church. Thus, each of us would recall in prayer about God, l try to open my heart and listen-becoming Cain our deep and tearful encounter with God, the deep feelings to them. and impressions we had when we first joined the church. As fallen people, it is easy to look at things with a fallen "Please never forget these early experiences in the church," mind and forget the good parts. l strive to discover and Father had said; "start your prayer with these feelings." recognize the good points in each of our brothers and sisters. I try to think that since each person has so many good points I really started to challenge myself to dedicate which I don't have, I have to learn from them. Internal truths should always be manifested in an external even one second to thinking about God's heart form. So it is not enough just to understand and acknowledge and relating to others with that heart. that I have to learn from others, but I have to manifest this in practice. In the process, I learn a lot about Heavenly Father's But now, after finishing his 21-year course, Father says we heart. If Adam and Eve hadn't fallen, Heavenly Father's heart should begin our prayers by recounting to Heavenly Fathef would have been filled with only joy and happiness. But their how our 'Ihle Father carried out his course and focusing on fall filled His heart with so much sorrow and suffering. So the heart and determination which Father maintained Heavenly Father's heart leaps with joy when man fulfills even throughout those 21 years. "Father has been carrying such a a small portion of responsibility. Therefore, I try to acquire cosmic burden up until now," we can tell God, "so please let all aspects of Heavenly Father's heart. me now carry this burden too." Synthesizing what I hear Father prays for former members One of Father's sayings really changed my life: "Challenge In the early years of the church, there was one member who your limitations," he instructed us. I felt that this meant to for three days refused to have any relationship with the synthesize everything I have heard. One elder Korean brother brothers and sisters. Father pleaded with him and wept. once told me, "Mrs. Kanari, you are still wasting so many "Please talk to me," he repeated, over and over. Because of things: spiritually, mentally, your use of time, etc." l felt this Father's tears, that person's resistance melted, his heart was true: in so many ways I could have tightened up and opened, and he began to talk with the others. This is the kind done more. So I tried to practice a stricter schedule: going to of standard of love which Father has set. bed at 2:00 a.m. and rising at 5:00 a.m.; also I would take a His concern extends even to those who are no longer in 30 the church-those who could not maintain the standard of We must remember the importance of practicing Father's Unification Church life and eventually left. In Korea, when words. If we cannot change ourselves, we cannot lead others. ever he had time, he would go to such a person's door and Father has often talked about heavenly law and emphasized say a prayer for him. "This person is now out of the its importance. Actually, we still don't know clearly the church," he would tell God, "but he contributed so much. contents of heavenly law; only Father does. Eventually, we Heavenly Father, please remember the great contribution thi' will have to live by its standard. person made. Right now, I don't have enough time to take care of him, so please take care of him.'' This is the kind of prayer Father offers for former members, and I think that we Don't postpone today's tasks as well should carry that kind of heart for each person. In 1981 I served Father in Gloucester, while he was tuna Centers I have been in have sometimes included very, very fishing. Every morning at 2:30, without fail, he set out for difficult members; other brothers and sisters occasionally the ocean. The night before the opening of the tuna tour wanted to ask such a person to leave, or in some way cut off nament, he checked all the preparations with great serious the relationship, for the benefit of the center. Then I would ness. It was almost I :00 a.m. when he ended. "Let's go to remind them of Father's standard. bed," he said, and everyone left the boats. Suddenly he thought of one boat and asked its captain, "How about your boat? Is it all right?" "Yes, Father," was the reply. "Last year it was prepared, and tomorrow morning I will check it again." But Father got so angry. "No, you have to check it now. You have to finish today what you must do today. Don't put things off until tomorrow. Satan can invade if you procrastinate." So Father himself went back and checked the boat and its lines. ''There is no time for joking now,'' he told all present. "This is a time for fighting. Don't put things off until tomorrow; do today what you have to do today.'' Internal faith is the base of everything, and when that foundation is solid, so mrmy external things can be built upon it. I was startled by this serious attitude, and I repented internally. So many times I have postponed things until the following day. I really hope each of us can challenge ourselves to live up to Father's standard and put into practice the words which he has given us with so much heart and love. Even though we cannot be as perfect as he, still we should try our best and not offer excuses such as, "I know I can't do it, so I won't try.'' Satan can invade a person with such an attitude. My motto is, "Even though l cannot do it, I will try my best; even though I cannot do it perfectly, I will still take up the challenge." Americans and Europeans, stand up! Leaders have big responsibilities; the expectations of many people rest on your shoulders. I have learned so much from those of you who have come from other countries. I feel that the mission in America spould eventually be taken care of by Americans, and the mission in Europe by Europeans. Of course, those of us from other parts of the world should help and do whatever we can. But Americans should stand up, Once I asked Father about a person who was causing and Europeans should stand up, and deal with their own difficulties. "Don't cut off the relationship," he replied. problems. "Rather, you should Jove him more than Satan loves him; if Internal faith is the base of everything, and when that you can do that, the person will stay and automatically begin foundation is solid, so many external things can be built upon to change." Again I had to think of Father's standard of it. Father said, "A loving person is tolerant of others, but loving every brother and sister. "If you cannot give someone strict with one's self." In my present position, all I can do is enough care," he said, "at least face him with tears and pray for each of you. I would like to help you and serve you share with him; plead with him." Some of these difficult as much as I can, but in reality, you are the ones who must members have stayed with us and are now blessed and raising fight and accomplish many things. I challenge you to embody families. Father's words and inherit his heart and personality. 31 PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE INTERNATIONAL HIGHWAY At the Tenth /CVS in Korea in 1981, Father announced a plan for a The major purpose of the East Asian Highway is to Great International Highway. On Jan· secure peace, then to resolve the economic and uary 14, 1982, a research and plan ning team began preparing for the first population problems, develop natural resources, increase stage: a tunnel connecting Korea and food production, and improve living conditions. Japan. An International Highway Research Center has been established in Japan, to promote the project. Masatoshi Matsushita, president of PWPA in Japan and former President of Rikkyo University in Japan, is chair man of the Overall Committee for the Japan-Korea Tunnel Research Project. The foil owing information is adapted from this Japanese group's preliminary report, a four-color booklet distributed to participants at the Eleventh /CVS. Significance of the International Highway The construction of the International Highway has an important potential role in the attainment of international peace. Various conflicts and disputes still take place in many areas, because society, though considerably affluent materially, leaves much to be desired in terms of ethics. Ways need to be - found that will provide man with a higher sense of ethics and creativity. Higher creativity will make it possi ble to assure clothing, food and hous ing for the world population of four billion (estimated to become seven bil lion by the year 2000), while a higher sense of ethics will facilitate an equal distribution of what is produced by man. True harmony among men, as well as among nations, will not result in destroying the nature of Mother Earth. The concept of the International Highway is envisioned as one specific and practical measure that can provide man with the above-mentioned creativ ity and ethical sense. Such a highway will provide a connecting link between Japan and England which is neither by air nor by sea, enabling people to go from Japan to England on foot or by car, through the continent of Asia. A major link of this highway, the Straits of Dover tunne\ [between England aud France], is on its way to completion. 32 International Highway interchanges centuries earlier b ~ King Carlos V of decision-making standards are the will connect trunk roads of various Spain to link Mexico with South major cause of the ceaseless struggle countries, thereby facilitating transpor America. and conflict throughout the world. tation of passengers and freight from In 1950, the Inland Transportation Although all people wish to reach the every part of the world. Thus, the Committee of the European Economic same condition, the process towards International Highway can catalyze the Committee adopted a plan to construct that goal varies from culture to culture. consolidation of individual civiliza a network of international trunk roads. The ideology that guides a society at tions into a more harmonious whole. Nineteen countries participated in the any moment in history is also closely The accumulated technology of civil plan . France and England are awaiting related to the social background and engineering and environmenul plan the completion of a tunnel under the natural environment of the people. ning has developed to the point where Straits of Dover. 41 10 I'd.Utt it can now provide the keels of the Jn 1959, a plan for a highway link ~ P)'Ont.'fd"I • s.o.1 "spaceship earth." ing Asian countries south of the Hima Of course, many serious problems layas was adopted, supported by 15 remain to be solved-technical, finan nations. cial. political and cultural- before any Various African highway projects construction of the International High have been initiated, including the way can be launched. However, if we Trans-Sahara road construction project can solve these problems, we can bring in 1962; the Trans-Africa road con to the earth an entirely new type of struction plan in 1971; the ltans-West peace. Africa Zaire, and Trans-West Africa What is most needed today is a coastal road projects in 1974; and the A,1-vM1u project through which we human Trans-East Africa road project in 1976. beings can work together and contri The proposed Japan-Korea Tunnel. bute to the prosperity of the whole of The role of the mankind. Sharing a common dream Both the West and the East have and working together to realize it will Japan-Korea tunnel civilizations based on highly-advanced help bind all of us together. Jn a construction project such as the technology. Our way of life must The International Highway is truly International Highway, selecting the change from being nationally-oriented such a dream. It will be our monument starting point has great meaning. Since to regionally-oriented, integrating the dedicated to future generations, a testi both Japan and Korea are major plan value systems of our different civili mony to our assiduous struggle for ners and promoters of this project, pri zations. The Eastern way of thinking, peace. A valuable asset to human his ority should be given to connecting which might be called humane tory, this plan promote the limitless Japan and Korea. Thus, constructing rationality, should be our guide. The creativity and ethical sense inherent in the Japan-Korea tunnel is the first formulation of such a lifestyle would human beings. Because of the many stage of the International Highway. guarantee a rise in productivity, sup difficulties involved, however, the Solving the problems involved in this ported by a new set of harmonizing attainment of the goal depends upon initial step will provide a model for values. Although it is time-consuming, our ability to generate and maintain an future steps. Three types of problems this process of gradual adaptation to untiring spirit and ceaseless enthusi are envisioned: social and natural conditions, avoiding asm for the project. drastic social changes, is the surest l. the variety of political and eco- path towards peaceful coexistence. If only a fraction of the energy that nomic views in East Asia is wasted on war can be directed 2. extensive technical challenges toward the implementation of this 3. linking different civilizations An East Asian plan, by the 21st century, we will The civilizations of Japan and Community establish a monument which will be Korea are extremely similar in some What is needed at this point is an ideal highly acclaimed by future points and markedly different in oth which advocates such a course. A fed generations. ers. How they will harmonize is of eration of East Asian nations-an East As far back as 1939, the Ministry of great interest; they can provide a Asian Community--could promote Railways in Japan suggested a Trans model for other differing civilizations comprehensive development of the Asian railway system, connecting to learn how to harmonize with each region, and ensure our survival in the Japan with the Asian continent. In other, as a result of the construction of future. 1980 a Japanese construction firm pro the International Highway. The major purpose of the East posed a combination of bridges and The most fundamental prerequisite Asian Highway is to secure peace, tunnels to connect Japan with Korea. for the peaceful coexistence of man then to resolve the economic and pop But its research team has been dis kind lies in the maintenance and pro ulation problems, develop natural banded and the project abandoned. motion of mutual respect, regardless of resources, increase food production, On the other side of the globe, the differe nces in living standard, size of and improve living conditions. We Pan-American Highway was launched population, and way of life. People need to solve the energy shortage in in 1923, with the agreement of 17 instinctively seek comfort, a safe envi rural areas, improve the transportation nations participating in a series of Pan ronment, adequate food , and a peace system in order to increase its cap American Highway Conferences. A ful life. abilities, reorganize the industrial similar plan had been envisioned four Differences in value systems and areas, and promote appropriate pop- 33 "@ :I Q. Cl) u c: u0 ulation distribution by strengthening between the two main ones will meet ties among the regions, divided maintenance and control requirements, according to functional capacities. Plan for the tunnel with a lateral connecting tunnel every Domestic economy must be promoted, The straits between the Republic of kilometer. The pilot tunnel for geologi according to the distinctive features of Korea and Kyushu Island of Japan are cal prospecting will be located about each region. dotted with small islands, including 40 meters directly under the service It has become clear that classical Korean Koje Do and Japanese Tsu tunnel, and will house various piping ideologies and theories alone are no shima and Iki Islands. The shortest systems. longer capable of sol ing problems. distance between Kyushu and Korea is Tunnel plans also call for railway Rather, we require a system that is about 180km. stations, large-scale distribution cen feasible, comprehensive and effective. As we outline the project, the tunnel ters and trans-shipment facilities. Sta Such a system necessitates the creation would start at Kitakyushu and end at tions and customs houses will also be and establishment of a set of values Changweon, at a depth of 100 meters provided for the islands connected to and perceptions mutually shared below the sea bed, via the three islands the tunnel. among societies. nentioned above. The total length of Geological data are being assem Technology and values may be the tunnel is estimated to be 253km. It bled, and basic geological field work introduced, with the development of a is also possible to build a bridge from was carried out in the summer of particular region as a precondition. Yobuko to Iki Island, to facilitate trans 1982. On-going projects include: Although their problems vary, each portation of vehicles. investigating the compatibility of this • country faces the shortage of basic A high-speed railway system, not plan with other plans, basic research natural and financial resources and self-propelled vehicles, is proposed, on the effect of economic development technology. An East Asian Community because of safety and other consider and preservation of environment, and which allows for both the division of ations. including ventillation, exhaust technical re!',earch on tunnel con regions based on function and the gas control. handling of accidents, and struction and vehicles. complementary integration of all, may psychological difficulties in long Other tasks include: coordination of be a solution-if the prerequisites of a distance driving. Cars can be various plans concerning land, area satisfactory distribution of benefits and transported on special high-speed vehi and local bodies; conforming to legal guaranteed security relations are met. cle carriers. requirements for construction work; Fulfilling these requirements would Research has not yet progressed to preservation of environment; study of lead to a breakthrough in the creation the point of determining the structure tunnel structure and construction meth of a new civilization for the 21st cen and materials of the tunnel with pre ods; and selection of vehicles to be tury. It is our desire to pass on the cise confidence. used. In order to solve these various feasible methods of creating such a Two main tunnels will provide pas problems, it is essential for specialists civilization, both in theory and prac senger and freight tramportation, one in both Japan and Korea to work tice, to the following generation. in each direction. A service tunnel together with ample research funds. 34 UNIFICATION CHURCH BOOKSTORE IN NEW YORK Jonathan Gullery gious pluralism. They see the emer- always set up a book table, and many Unification Books officially opened gence of new faiths a serious of our home church members are good its doors late last year in New Yrlfk challenge to their own beliefs, stim patrons. City, at 4 West 43rd Street. Run by ulating them to provide their followers The store seems to be a real oasis of HSA-UWC Publications, the store has with a living experience of the divine . calm in the storm of mid-town Man established istelf as well-run business A major advantage of the bookstore hattan; it definitely has a homey atmo in a very short time. are the large display windows along sphere, and anybody is free to sit down For years, church members here in the street. With a little creativity, we as long as he pleases. Businessmen New York and visiting missionaries have been able to make very attractive come in to look around. Blessed mem from around the world have been used displays that attract the attention of the bers with their children stop by. A to climbing the stairs at the U.S . passersby. Especially pleasing has been room on the side of the store, visible National Headquarters on 43rd Street. a large display on the Holy Wedding at from the street, will be set up as a Now that the store opens on the street, Madison Square Garden earlier this video room, where we can show the not only our members but also the year, including photographs, buttons, latest releases, such as "People of the public are free to come in and browse. magazines, and some actual floor Quest" and the movie of the Madison• Most of us can remember the flurry plans of the Garden made for the wed Square Garden Blessing. of excitement when Dr. Frederick Son ding itself. This project opens a new era in our tag's book, Sun Myung Moon and the New York City is so big, and many public image, because we have materi Unification· Church, was published in things are available. Sometimes it's als available directly to the public. It 1977. This was the first book that easy to forget (until a missionary from takes a bit less courage for a curious treated the church in any objective way Africa or South America comes to person to enter the store than to climb at all. It broke new ground. One look visit) that in other countries it is dif four floors in a strange building. around our store shows how much has ficult to obtain even a few of the books In addition to church literature, such been written since then. on our shelves. I am always grateful to as a very popular six-volume Home I can remember when Father would talk with members from overseas and Study Course and New Hope: Twelve say that professors and scholars would show them the latest books and Talks, we carry Bibles and books by show a real interest in the church and speeches that have come in. Recently a popular inspirational authors (such as write about us. Now all this seems to sister from the German family visited, Tolkein and James Herriot). In the be happening. One of the latest books and we discussed plans for books and future, we hope to add the best books is a response from one of the mainline ways of improving service to our on theology and the sociology of American churches to the new reli- church. After Sunday service, we religion. 35 NEW BOOKS AND VIDEOTAPES j New Church-related books: Unification Church books are also available from Joan I Groom, room 928, 481 - 8th Avenue, New York, New fork, God: The Contemporary Discussion, edited by Frederick Sontag and W. Darrol Bryant. Papers from the first 10001 USA. (Make check payable to Joan Groom.) God Conference. $11.50. Hermeneutics Horizons: The shape of the future Forthcoming reprints: edited by Frank K. Flinn. Papers from a conference. $10.50. A Prophet Speaks Today Lifestyle: Conversations with members of the Way of lradition Unification Church, edited by Richard Quebedeaux. New Hope: 12 Thlks, Volume II. New collection. $9.95. Octline of Principle, Level IV, Arabic translation. $9.50. Books in preparation: Founder's Addresses. Father's addresses at the first ten lCUS conferences. $5.95. Outline of Pnnciple, Level IV. Spanish translation. Collection of Father's words on home church. Unification Church traditions, by Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak. Reprints: Home Study Course, 6 volumes. $18.00. New videotapes and films: Rev. Sun Myung Moon - Public Thlks, Volume I. 2,075-couple Holy Wedding. New Future Films doc $3.25. umentary. $25.00 for videotape. New Hope, 12 Talks. $5.00. 2,075-couple Wedding. Produced by Pat Powell, fea World Religions, by Dr. Young Oon Kim. Revised turing interviews with various couples, human-interest style. Edition, 2 volumes. Vol. I: $5.95; Vol. II: $7.95. $35.00 for videotape, $350.00 for film. Korean Blessing, October 14, 1982. New Future Fil·ns documentary. $25.00 for videotape. Pertinent books by other publishers: People of the Quest. $75.00 for videotape, $400.00 Government Intervention in Religious Affairs, for film. edited by Dean Kelly. Includes essays by Lawrence Tribe and This film presents Fat her and our church in the light of Barry Fisher. $8.95. past historical figures who also persevered through tremen Strange Gods: The Great American Cult Scene, dous persecution to see their dream realized. Then the film takes the audience 011 a swift tour of our religious, educa tJy David G. Bromley and Anson D. Shupe, Jr. $4.95. tional and service projects, including lsshin Hospital in The Cult Experience: Responding to the New Tokyo, The Little Angels School for the Performing Arts in Religious Pluralism, by J. Gordon Merton and Robert L. Seoul, International Relief and Friendship work in Africa, Moore. Suggests positive response from parents when their Ocean Church, Project Volunteer, Minority Alliance Interna children join cults. $7. 95. tional, The National Council for Church and Social Action. home church work around the world, Sunday services in New York, Unification Theological Seminary, New ERA and the International Cultural Foundation conferences, and of These books may be ordered from HSA Publications. course, I tither's life. 4 West 43rd Street, New York, New York, 10036. U.S. orders, add JO percent for postage and handling. Oi•erseas orders, add 20 percent. (Make check payable to HSA -UWC Videotapes and films may be purchased from New Future Publications.) Films. 481 - 8th Avenue, New York, New York 10001. 36 When I return to the long hallway I notice once A DREAM again how long it is and admire the beautiful oak Kevin James Ribble paneling. Briefly I assess the precious quality of the A dream occurring in the early morning of closeness I have just shared with True Parents and June 26, 1982, after the Holy Wine Ceremony. realize that I am becoming a true son. My spirit perceives the healing virtue of being truly engrafted Setting: East Garden, second fioor, long hallway, to them. They are the Tree of Life. pleasantly lit. As I walk down this hallway, I realize that at the end of this hallway is True Parents' bedroom. I walk Subscribe now! calmly and quietly, as I know it is very early in the Today's World Magazine is for members of the morning, perhaps 2:00 or 2:30 a.m. Arriving at their Unification Church throughout the world. bedroom door, I notice it is ajar. Then I knock lightly Send your name and complete address to: and enter ... immediately I bow before True Parents, and as I do so, I see Father at his desk, talking on the Today's World Magazine telephone, and Mother at her desk reading Today's 481 8th Avenue, 7th floor World Magazine. Now it is clear to me that I have New York, NY 10001 come to make Mother a request. Along with a check or money order, Kevin: "I am sorry to disturb you, Mother, but I payable to HSA-UWC, World Mission Dept. can't seem to find my May edition of Today's World Magazine; is it possible to borrow your copy, Cost: United States - $32.00 per year please?" Air mail to Europe - $57.00 per year Mother: "Why, of course!" And as she turns to (2 or more to same address, $50.00 each) her desk, I notice that she has every copy of Today's Surface mail to any country - $42.00 per year World Magazine stacked on its top. Fath r is still talking on the telephone, and as Mother looks fo r the magazine, he turns and notices that I am there and Tell us when you move smiles very brightly-but still focused on his con (as quickly as possible!) versation . Then Mother turns to me and says: "Here, you can have my copy." Send both your old address and new address to: I feel drenched in God's love as she hands it to me; Today's World Magazine I bow and reply: 481 - 8th Avenue, 7th fl. "Thank you so much, Mother." As I bow once New York, NY 10001 again in preparation to leave, both Father and Mother acknowledge my form l bow and nod slightly, smiling Or call (212) 279-6255 as I walk towards the door and go out. COMING NEXT ISSUE: Fath rand Mother comment about each other